Otolaryngology residency program factors associated with female resident representation

Objective: Female representation in the field of otolaryngology is lacking. Residency is the first point at which medical school graduates specialize in a chosen field and thus represents an opportunity to recruit and train more female otolaryngologists. This study sought to identify program factors associated with greater female representation among resident physicians.

Methods: Departmental websites of all 124 otolaryngology residency programs in the United States and Puerto Rico were examined for a list of residents. For programs with a resident roster available, the genders of residents, faculty, program directors, and chairpersons were recorded. Location and city population for each program was also recorded, as was female resident representation. Programs were compared using Pearson Chi-squared univariate tests.

Results: 1,632 residents and 2,605 faculty were included in the analysis of 109 programs. The median female resident representation was 40%. Programs with larger faculty sizes, more female faculty, and urban location were associated with an above-median female resident representation. Programs with a larger residency cohort approached significance regarding above-median female resident representation. Higher female faculty representation, program director gender, chairperson gender, and US region were not associated with variation in female resident representation.

Conclusions: Greater female otolaryngology residency representation was associated with programs having an urban location and greater numbers of female and total faculty. It was also likely that a larger resident cohort size may affect female resident representation. The proportions of female faculty, program director, and chairperson gender, as well as the US region, were not associated with variation in female resident gender representation.