Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Podium Presentation: Leadership Positions Held Among Osteopathic Female and Male Cardiothoracic Surgeons

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Introduction/Purpose: Osteopathic physicians make up the minority of surgeons in cardiothoracic surgery (CTS). With the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) one accreditation system, we investigated the current status of female and male osteopathic surgeons in CTS, comparing metrics associated with career advancement.

Methods or Case Description: Seventy-eight CTS programs, including integrated, 4+3, and traditional fellowships, were identified using the ACGME public programs database. Data, including faculty demographics and institutional characteristics, were collected using institutional websites, the 2019-2020 United States News & World Report medical school rankings by research ranking, and ctsnet.org.

Outcomes: Of 1208 CTS teaching faculty members, only 14 are DO physicians (1.2%) and of those, 64.3% are male. More men acquired PhD degrees, compared to women (11.1% vs. 0.0%). Similar proportions of men and women acquired other degrees (22.2% and 20.0%, respectively). Collectively, few surgeons advanced to professorship, with 92.9% as assistant, 7.1% as associate, and 0.0% as full professors. However, more women advanced to professorship compared to men, with 80.0% as assistant and 20.0% as associate professors (vs. 100.0% and 0.0%, respectively). Only 1 male physician held a leadership position in CTS as division chief. No physicians held the leadership positions of program director nor chairperson.

Conclusion: Factors associated with academic ranking, such as advanced degrees, are similar between male and female osteopathic CTS faculty members. However, osteopathic surgeons continue to collectively make up a minority of senior faculty and leadership positions nationally, with a majority serving as assistant professors and only one physician serving in a leadership role.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion, participant will be able to assess the prevalence of osteopathic cardiothoracic surgery faculty members among cardiothoracic surgery faculty across the nation.
Upon completion, participant will be able to investigate the advancement of osteopathic cardiothoracic surgery faculty members to higher academic ranking and leadership positions within the field.
Upon completion, participant will be able to demonstrate the need for diversity and inclusion in the recruitment of cardiothoracic surgery faculty positions in the United States.

Primary Presenter(s)

Chi Chi Do-Nguyen

Medical Student
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Ridley Park, PA, US

Author(s)

EN

Elizabeth L. Norton, MS

Creighton University School of Medicine
Omaha, NE, US
JF

Jessica Figueredo, MS

Nova Southeastern University, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
Davie, FL, US
AC

Alejandra Castro-Varela, MS

Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, MX
JQ

Julie Qiu

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, US
SM

Sarah Miter, MD

Department of Surgery, Inova Health System
Falls Church, VA, US