AOA Critical Issues: Perceptions on the State of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Orthopaedic Surgery: A Survey of the AOA Membership.

Abstract

Orthopaedic surgery continues to trail other specialties in increasing diversity among its physician workforce. Various efforts have been and are currently being made to not only increase diversity, but also promote equity and inclusion in the field. The purpose of this study was to survey members of the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) to determine how leaders in orthopaedics view diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the present time and to understand their perspective while moving into the future. An anonymous 11-question survey was disseminated online to AOA members in May 2022. These individuals were identified by the AOA membership directory and the email ListServe. The survey included free-response and multiple-choice questions. Demographic information was self-identified, and both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Of the 1,657 AOA members who were provided the survey, 262 (15.8%) responded. Approximately 29.5% (77) and 45.6% (119) of the surveyed population ranked "retention of underrepresented populations in orthopaedic residency (women, URiM)" as "very important" or "absolutely essential," respectively. The answers to the free-response questions identified multiple core themes that responders were passionate about, namely resident and attending physician recruitment and retention, as well as resident selection. Leaders in the field of orthopaedic surgery desire for action to be taken in the field of DEI. The findings of this survey denote positive attitudes even though many inequalities still pervade the field of orthopaedics. Through mentorship, objective evaluation, transparency, and continued intentional action, orthopaedic surgery is well-positioned to continue to move forward with DEI.