887 GENDER DISPARITIES IN INTERVENTIONAL ENDOSCOPY FELLOWSHIPS

Abstract

Women remain underrepresented in gastroenterology (GI), especially interventional endoscopy. Women represented 32% of first year GI fellows in 2017/2018, yet in 2019, only 12.8% of fellows who matched into interventional endoscopy were women. To assess perceived barriers toward women pursuing interventional endoscopy training, We administered a 21-question web-based survey to program directors of interventional endoscopy fellowships participating in the 2018-2019 ASGE match. We assessed program director and program characteristics and asked program directors to rank barriers and facilitators (Scale 1-5, 5= most important) that may influence women pursuing interventional endoscopy training. Program characteristics affecting female interventional fellow graduation rates were assessed. We received 38 (59%) responses from 64 program directors. Program director and program characteristics are summarized in Table1. Only 16% (6/38) of programs had a woman as interventional endoscopy program director and 13.2% (5/38) had a woman as endoscopy chief. The mean (+/-SD) percentage of interventional faculty who were women was 15% (+/-17%). 47.4% (18/38) programs reported no women interventional faculty. Only 12% of interventional fellowship graduates from each program over the past 10 years were women, and 32% (12/38) of programs have never had a woman graduate. The percentage of female interventional fellowship graduates was strongly associated with percentage of female interventional faculty (ß= 0.43, p< 0.001). Percentage of female interventional endoscopy graduates was higher in programs with female leadership, with highest association with programs with female endoscopy chiefs (20% vs 11%, p=0.09). There was no significant association between percentage of female interventional fellowship graduates and call structure or parental leave policy. Difficult or inflexible hours and call (mean rank 3.3+/- SD 1.1), exposure to fluoroscopy during childbearing age (2.9+/-1.1), lack of women endoscopists at national conferences and courses (2.9+/-1.1), and lack of mentorship to female trainees (2.9+/-1.0) were cited as the most important barriers regarding recruitment. Figure 1 summarizes potential facilitators for women pursuing a career in interventional endoscopy. We utilized a survey of program directors from interventional endoscopy fellowships participating in the ASGE match to determine program characteristics and identify contributors to gender disparity. We found women represent a minority of interventional endoscopy program directors, endoscopy chiefs, interventional endoscopy faculty and interventional fellowship graduates. Our study highlights barriers and facilitators to recruitment, and emphasizes the importance of having female representation in faculty and leadership positions in endoscopy.Figure 1Potential facilitators to women pursuing a career in interventional endoscopy.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)