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Plastic Surgery Match: Are We Speaking The Same 'Language' Regarding Groups URiM And Increasing Diversity Within The Field?
Nerone K.O. Douglas, BS, MSc
Carolyn De La Cruz, MD
Francesco Egro, MBChB, MSc, MRCS
University of Pittsburgh
2023-01-31
Presenter: Nerone K.O. Douglas, BS, MSc
Affidavit:
Nerone Douglas
Director Name: Vu T. Nguyen
Author Category: Medical Student
Presentation Category: Basic Science Research
Abstract Category: General Reconstruction
Background: Plastic Surgery is one of the fields that lags behind the rest when it comes to surgeons from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine(URiM). The goals of our study quantify how many integrated plastic surgery residency programs have outlined criteria defining diversity goals and/or groups of people they consider to be URiM.
Methods: Data collected on integrated plastic surgery programs were primarily obtained from their program-specific websites. Each program site was meticulously reviewed for diversity missions/statements and explicit mentions of racial and ethnic groups considered URiM.
Results: From a total of 86 programs reviewed, 8 programs(9%) had clear URiM criteria listed on their websites, 26(30%) relied on institutional/department-wide criteria, 1(1%) listed that they were adhering to AAMC definition of URiM, and 51 programs(60%) had no form of definition for what is considered URiM. When looking at the programs with some form of criteria for URiM(n=35;40%), all programs(100%) considered African American/black, Native American/Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latinx, and Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian as groups URiM. Assessing the same subset of programs that have a form of criteria listed(n=35; 40%), 19(58%) had listed other groups, outside of race/ethnicity, considered to be URiM for their program and 14(42%) programs did not. 14 programs(74%) considered LGBTQIA+ as a group that is URiM.
Conclusion & Significance: This study serves as a call to action to encourage residency programs to evaluate their mission towards diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to spark discussion towards creating a purposeful selection process for applicants URiM into Plastic Surgery.
