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Evaluation of Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Disparities Among Burn Surgery Leadership
Francesco M. Egro, Anisha Konanur, Caroline E. Kettering, Alain C. Corcos, Guy M. Stofman, Jenny A. Ziembicki
University
2020-01-29
Presenter: Anisha Konanur
Affidavit:
The idea and project being submitted on gender and racial disparities in burn surgery represents the original work of the resident Francesco Egro.
Director Name: Vu T. Nguyen
Author Category: Medical Student
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: General Reconstruction
Disparities in gender and race have been described in plastic and general surgery, but no data has been reported in burn surgery. The aim of this study was to quantify race and gender representation in burn surgery leadership.
A cross-sectional study was performed. Surgeons included were directors of American Burn Association (ABA)-verified burn centers, past presidents of the ABA and International Society for Burn Injuries (ISBI), and editors of five major burn journals. Training, age, h-index, and academic positions were compared.
Among 69 ABA and ISBI presidents, 203 editorial board members, and 71 burn unit directors, females represented 2.9, 10.5, and 17 percent, respectively. Among burn unit directors, females completed fellowship training more recently than males (2006 vs. 1999; p < 0.02), have lower h-indexes (8.6 vs. 17.3; p = 0.03), and are underrepresented as full professors (8.3 percent vs. 42.4 percent; p = 0.026). Racial minority groups represented 18.3, 7.4, and 34.5 percent of burn unit directors, societal presidents, and journal editors, respectively. Among burn unit directors, minority surgeons were significantly younger (49 vs. 56; p < 0.01), graduated more recently (2003 vs. 1996; p < 0.01), and had a lower h-index (9.5 vs. 17.4; p < 0.05). Compared to the 2018 US Census, burn unit directors had a 5.1 percent decrease in non-white representation.
Racial and gender disparities exist in burn surgery leadership, despite surgeons' similar training backgrounds. However, both female and non-white surgeons were younger and completed training more recently, indicating a promising trend in minority representation.
