Academic Leadership Positions Research Articles

Practice patterns of female cardiothoracic surgeons older than age 58 years: Are we making progress?

ObjectiveWomen remain a small minority of cardiothoracic surgeons, and within adult cardiac surgery, the gender gap widens. This study examines the career pathway and trajectory of female adult cardiac surgeons. MethodsFemale cardiothoracic surgeons were identified from the American Board of Thoracic Surgery diplomates over 58 years. Publicly available information was obtained to determine years in practice, practice type, academic and leadership title(s), and location of practice. ResultsThe average number of years in practice for female adult cardiac surgeons was 13.1. Those categorized as adult cardiac surgeons composed 25.4% (n = 90) of all female cardiothoracic diplomates and 134 (37.9%) were categorized as other subspecialty practice. Of the adult cardiac surgeons, 33.3% (n = 30) practiced privately and the remainder in academic practice. Academic titles were held by 47.8% (43 out of 90) and 30% (27 out of 90) held a position of leadership. Of those in academic practice, 25% (11 out of 42) are titled professor, whereas 43% (18 out of 42) are assistant professors. Most commonly, those in positions of leadership held the title “director,” which reflects 37% (10 out of 27) of individuals. Practice locations were distributed throughout the United States, with the highest number in the northeast (26.7%). ConclusionsOnly a small portion of female cardiothoracic surgeons pursue a career in adult cardiac surgery compared to their male counterparts. From 1999 to 2009, 1300 individuals were board certified cardiothoracic surgeons, of whom only 103 (7.9%) were female. Of these, the majority of female cardiothoracic surgeons entered academic practice. Although the overall number of practicing female adult cardiac surgeons has increased with a growth rate of 10.7%, this number remains extremely low. A discrepancy remains between gender representation of academic titles and leadership positions. Although the field has increased female representation over the past few decades, work remains to ensure all potential talent is encouraged and supported.

Unequal opportunities in Italian cardiovascular research: focus on gender.

Despite unanimous calls for more equitable access and support to female researchers, there are persistent barriers to women's career progression and professional fulfillment. These discriminative hurdles undermine female gender in science and have detrimental effects on research activities and female professionals and patients. There is no data on women's outlook in cardiovascular research in Italy, which limits appropriate remedial actions. We aimed at providing an updated perspective on top Italian cardiovascular researchers, focusing on women versus men comparisons. Top Italian cardiovascular researchers were retrieved from a dedicated and validated Scopus query. Researchers' sex was assigned according to the given name with a consensus process. Several metrics were compared, including global rank, total cites, total cites adjusted by academic age, H-index, and self-citation percentage. Bivariate and propensity score-adjusted analyses were used for inferential purposes. Our analysis shows the existence of a gender gap: the number of scientific articles published by Italian male researchers in their careers is significantly higher than their female counterparts (P=0.002). For men, the year of first publication is earlier (P=0.001); they also published more articles as a single author, or single + first author or single + first + last author. Men's papers cited at least once were more than those of women (P≤0.001), and the total number of citations was significantly higher for men (P=0.002). These results remain significant both in the analysis excluding self-citations as well as in the analysis including self-citations. The single-year analysis (2019) confirms the significance of the career analysis, adding that men have a higher rank based on composite score (P=0.041, or P=0.005 if including self-citation). Finally, men have a higher percentage of self-citation in 2019 than women (P=0.008). The gender disparity is still a limiting factor in Italian cardiovascular research. Despite career advancement, women continue to be underrepresented. Men retain more leadership positions in academia and maintain the edge for scientific work productions. More efforts are needed to ensure equity between men and women.

Mind the Gap: Women in Pediatric Hospital Medicine.

Mind the Gap: Women in Pediatric Hospital Medicine.

Gender distribution in boards of internal medicine societies and paper authorship: Networking is the key to success

Networking is about building long-term relationships as well as a good reputation over time. Active professional networking is vital to career growth as it involves meeting people who you can support and who can potentially help you in return. Good networking can mean the difference between a “mediocre and a great career”. In several fields, the earlier networking starts, the better it is for the long-term progression of individuals. Sallie Krawcheck has well described this concept when she wrote that “networking is the No. 1 unwritten rule of success”. She was head of Bank of America's Global Wealth and Investment Management division and has been called the most powerful woman on Wall Street. She was also named one of Time's Global Influentials in 2002 and Fortune's Most Influential Person Under the Age of 40 in 2003. Krawcheck left Bank of America in 2011 and is currently the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, a digital financial advisor for women launched in 2016. Gender gap in authorship: a study of 44,000 articles published in 100 high-impact general medical journalsEuropean Journal of Internal MedicineVol. 97PreviewDear Editor, the profile of the medical profession has changed dramatically in recent decades, with an increasing proportion of women physicians [1]. However, the gender gap in academic medicine continues to be the rule rather than the exception. For example, women are less likely to be promoted to academic leadership positions [2] and receive fewer research grants [3]. Full-Text PDF

Gender of Department Chair and Paid Parental Leave Benefits in Academic Radiology Residency Programs

Residency training often overlaps with prime childbearing years, yet variability in availability and duration of parental leave in residency can complicate the decision to become parents. Gender disparities in attitudes towards parenthood in residency is well recognized, with females generally reporting more concerns surrounding prolonged training, hindrance of future career plans, and negative perception from peers. However, gender of the department chair has not yet been examined as a factor influencing parental leave policies for residents in Radiology. The gender of the department chair and parental leave policies for residents in 209 ACGME accredited diagnostic radiology programs across the United States were procured from their websites. These programs were stratified into 6 geographical regions to identify regional differences. Chi-squared analyses were used to compare availability of paid parental benefits with the gender of department chairs. Seventy-seven percent of diagnostic radiology program department chairs were male. 34 of 49 programs (69%) with female department chairs advertised paid parental benefits, compared to 61 of 160 programs (38%) chaired by males (P < 0.001). When stratified by region, this gender difference remained statistically significant in the mid-Atlantic and New England. Female gender of the department chair was associated with the increased availability of paid parental leave benefits for residents, yet females hold fewer academic leadership positions than males. Future discussions regarding parental leave policies for residents will have to consider the unique challenges in residency such as length of training and burden on coresidents.

National Trends in Gender Diversity Among Trainees and Practicing Physicians in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery in Canada

Monitoring the evolution of gender diversity within medicine is essential to understanding the medical workforce and anticipating its future. To evaluate gender distribution and trends among trainees and practicing physicians in the field of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) across Canada. This cross-sectional study collected demographic data on the Canadian population, medical students, resident physicians, fellows, practicing physicians, and full-time professors from the following publicly available databases: the Canadian Post-MD Education Registry, the Canadian Medical Education Statistics from the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, the Canadian Medical Association Masterfile, the Canadian Resident Matching Service archives, and the Canadian Institute for Health Information from 2000 to 2019. Information about the gender distribution in leadership positions and fellowships was obtained through publicly available websites where gender was either listed or assigned by authors. The primary outcomes were the proportion of women in OHNS and the evolution of gender diversity over time. In 2019, 65 of 155 of OHNS trainees were female (41.9%), whereas female representation among all surgical trainees combined was 1225 of 2496 (49.1%). Female OHNS trainees and practicing physicians are underrepresented despite a 13.3% increase in female trainees and a 14.3% increase in female staff physicians from 2000 to 2019. Proportionally fewer female graduates pursued a fellowship during a 10-year period compared with their male counterparts, with otology and neurotology having the lowest female representation (6 of 27 [22.2%]). A minimal increase occurred in the number of women holding academic leadership positions (eg, 4 of 13 residency training programs had a previous or current female director). Despite the overall increase in the representation of women in the field of OHNS in Canada, these findings suggest that persistent gender gaps remain with respect to academic leadership positions and fellowship training. Continuous monitoring of the surgical workforce is important to highlight and address gender disparities within OHNS.

Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics Leadership Roles in Academic Military Treatment Facilities by Subspecialty and Gender.

Gender distribution in academic ob-gyn leadership positions has previously been examined in the civilian sector, but not in military medicine. To characterize the distribution of department-level leadership positions by gender and subspecialty in academic military facilities in comparison to those reported in the civilian sector. This is an observational cross-sectional study. We queried military obstetrics and gynecology (ob-gyn) specialty consultants, for title and gender of personnel assigned to academic military treatment facilities. Roles were characterized by gender and subspecialty, and the proportion of female leaders was compared to published civilian leadership data. Women comprised 25% of Department Chairs, 45% of Assistant Chairs, and 42% of Division Directors. In educational leadership roles, women comprised 25% of Residency Program Directors, 0% of Fellowship Directors, and 62% of medical Student Clerkship Directors. Female department chairs were most often uro-gynecologists (44%) followed by specialists in ob-gyn (37%). Most female residency program directors were specialists in general obstetrics and gynecology. The proportion of women in leadership roles in military departments was not different than in the civilian sector. In contrast to civilian academic leadership positions, Department Chairs were most likely to be uro-gynecologists. Similar to civilian programs, women remain underrepresented as chairs, Assistant Chairs, Fellowship Directors, and Division Directors and similarly represented as Residency Program Directors. Despite a smaller pool of women available to fill academic leadership positions in military ob-gyn departments, the proportion of women in leadership roles reaches parity with the civilian sector. This suggests that a greater proportion of women rise to leadership positions in military academic ob-gyn departments than in the civilian sector.

Leadership Journeys: Reflections on Experiences and Challenges from Women in Academic Leadership

Although the number of women holding administrative positions in higher education has risen over the past two decades, the gender gap in academic leadership in higher education institutions persists. Barriers exist to prevent women from entering these positions, including those related to workplace culture and personal considerations. This qualitative exploratory study interviewed 38 women leaders in positions ranging from Assistant Dean to President at universities in a mid-west athletic conference. It asked the following research questions: How did they enter academic leadership? What were their experiences in leadership positions? What advice would they offer to other women considering leadership positions and what skills should they foster? These women described diverse journeys into their current academic leadership positions. Although every woman described a unique journey, few entered academia with the goal of transitioning from faculty to administration and instead became accidental leaders. Their experiences in these leadership positions included accomplishments, especially around student success, but also tangible, intangible, and self-imposed inequities. They recognized the value leadership development including formal mentoring, informal advice, and systemic training but also indicated receiving inadequate amounts of this development. This study offers implications to recognize, support, and foster the presence of women in academic leadership positions.

Value of peer mentorship for equity in higher education leadership: a school of public health focus with implications for all academic administrators

ABSTRACT Diverse representation in higher education leadership is critical to the Academy’s mission of teaching, research, and service. As academic leadership positions are rarely occupied by faculty from underrepresented gender and minoritized groups, inclusive mentorship practices are necessary to equip and support administrators of diverse backgrounds and identities. In this qualitative study, administrators from a school of public health in the southeastern United States present findings from an electronic survey exploring experiences with peer mentorship as it relates to leadership and training. Open-ended responses are compared with peer mentorship literature. Thematic analysis demonstrated peer mentorship is specifically beneficial for: 1) sharing knowledge and improving navigation, 2) cultivating change with respect and inclusivity, and 3) inspiring motivation and balance to prevent burnout. This study demonstrates the value of peer mentorship models for co-development of successful leadership qualities and for addressing administrative pressures through inclusive practices that promote diversity and improve equity.

Fixing the leaky pipeline: Tips to promote gender equity in Academic Medicine

Introduction: Gender equity in academic medicine is a global concern. Women physicians lag behind men in salary, research productivity, and reaching top academic rank and leadership positions. Methods: In this Global Perspective, we provide suggestions for overcoming gender bias, drawn from a multidisciplinary literature and personal experiences working as clinician educators in the international academic arena. These suggestions are not exhaustive but inform a tool kit for institutions and individuals to support the advancement of women in academic medicine. Results: Barriers include limited access to same gender role models and mentors, fewer networking opportunities, fewer nominations for awards and speakership opportunities, as well as implicit gender bias. Institutional interventions can address disparities along the career continuum focusing on scholarship, promotion and leadership opportunities. Women faculty can also seek out professional development programmes and mentorship to support their own advancement. Informal and formal networking opportunities, using a variety of platforms, including social media, can help build relationships to enhance career development and success, and provide social, emotional and professional support to women at all stages of their career. The National University Health System’s Women in Science and Healthcare project is an example of a successful group formed to empower women and foster personal and professional development. Conclusion: Successful incentives and policies need to consider local institutional and cultural contexts, as well as approaches to mitigate implicit bias. Achieving gender parity in academic medicine will promote a personally and professionally fulfilled global healthcare workforce to improve patient care and clinical outcomes worldwide.

The Impact of Fellowship Training in Academic Plastic Surgery.

The competitive nature of an academic plastic surgery career has contributed to an increase in sub-specialization. The aim of this study is to assess the benefits of subspecialty fellowship training to pursue a career in academic plastic surgery. A cross-sectional study was conducted of all current academic plastic surgeons (APSs) participating in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-certified residency programs. Online faculty website listings were used to collect their demographics, training and practice characteristics, academic rank and leadership positions, and research productivity. A total of 927 APSs met the inclusion criteria, of which 70.2% had undergone fellowship training, with an overall significant increase in fellowship-trained surgeons within the last 10 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.66; P = 0.0005). Hand training was the most common fellowship (35.6%), followed by craniofacial (32.0%) and microsurgery (28.1%). Fellowship training was more prevalent among younger (48.7 vs 53.5 years, P < 0.0001), White (67.8%), and non-White (77.4%, P = 0.0058) APSs who had received either integrated (67.1%) or independent (81.8%, P < 0.0001) plastic surgery training and are currently working in a department (OR, 1.44; P = 0.028). Fellowship training was shown to influence academic rank (associate professor: OR, 1.68 [P = 0.0073]; full professor: OR, 0.58 [P = 0.0008]), leadership position (fellowship director OR, 10.09; P < 0.0001) and research productivity (publications: 26 vs 16.5; P = 0.0009). In addition, fellowship attainment did not correlate with the size of the employing academic program, population of the city of practice, or being a residency director or chair. The majority of APSs have undergone fellowship training, and there is very strong evidence supporting its impact in current entry and advancement in academic plastic surgery.

Female Representation and Academic Leadership in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Despite increasing the numbers of women entering the field, underrepresentation of women in otolaryngology has been reported. In the subspecialty of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (FPRS), female representation and academic leadership have not been formally characterized. Our study aims to identify female representation and academic leadership roles in FPRS. Cross sectional analysis. Analysis was performed using the 2020 American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) membership directory. Board-eligible and board-certified FPRS surgeons were included. Data regarding academic rank, leadership position, academic productivity, and years in practice were collected from publicly available departmental websites. Academic productivity was measured using h-index. Of 1,421 members queried in the 2020 AAFPRS membership directory, 13.0% were female and 86.9% were male. Most practitioners (87.0%) work in a private practice setting, but of the 13.0% of academic FPRS surgeons, 25.9% were female. Most female facial plastic surgeons in academic practice were Assistant Professors (72.9%), whereas ranks were evenly distributed among male FPRS surgeons. Three (4.3%) of 69 AAFPRS fellowship directors were women, and 1 (1.8%) of 56 present or past AAFPRS presidents was female. Female FPRS surgeons had fewer years in practice and lower h-indices compared with male surgeons. Female FPRS surgeons hold fewer academic leadership positions and have lower academic productivity in comparison to male FPRS surgeons. Future studies are needed to elucidate the etiology of these gender differences. NA Laryngoscope, 132:781-785, 2022.

Women in UK paediatric surgery: past, present, future

Introduction Paediatric surgery is the surgical specialty with the highest representation of women. This study aims to explore the fascinating history, current role and future prospects of female paediatric surgeons in the UK. Materials and Methods A literature search was conducted in google and pubmed, national statistic reports and personal correspondence to gather information on the history and current status of female paediatric surgeons in the UK. Results Women with an interest in paediatric surgery have been recorded in historical reports from ancient and medieval times. During the early decades of the establishment of paediatric surgery in key female figures overcame prejudice, won the respect of their peers and blazed the trail for future generations. Among those legendary individuals were Gertrude Herferz, Isabella Forshall, Helen Noblett, Leela Kapila, Caroline Doig, Vanessa Wright and Su-Anna Boddy. Recent decades saw a worldwide rise in the proportion of female paediatric surgeons with women representing 27.3% of consultants and 47.1% of registrars in England in 2017. Female authorship has also increased. However, women are still significantly outnumbered in leadership positions in major paediatric surgery committees. Discussion and Conclusion Charismatic women have influenced paediatric surgery and paved the path for future generations. Despite the rise in percentage of women entering paediatric surgery in recent decades, women continue to be under-represented in clinical and academic leadership positions. Female mentoring schemes such as those provided by Women in Surgery, and an updated view of leadership development opportunities are likely to help address these concerns.

Gender imbalance amongst promotion and leadership in academic surgical programs in Canada: A cross-sectional Investigation.

Women are underrepresented at higher levels of promotion or leadership despite the increasing number of women physicians. In surgery, this has been compounded by historical underrepresentation. With a nation-wide focus on the importance of diversity, our aim was to provide a current snapshot of gender representation in Canadian universities. This cross-sectional online website review assessed the current faculty listings for 17 university-affiliated academic surgical training departments across Canada in the 2019/2020 academic year. Gender diversity of academic surgical faculty was assessed across surgical disciplines. Additionally, gender diversity in career advancement, as described by published leadership roles, promotion and faculty appointment, was analyzed. Women surgeons are underrepresented across Canadian surgical specialties (totals: 2,689 men versus 531 women). There are significant differences in the gender representation of surgeons between specialties and between universities, regardless of specialty. Women surgeons had a much lower likelihood of being at the highest levels of promotion (OR: 0.269, 95% CI: 0.179-0.405). Men surgeons were statistically more likely to hold academic leadership positions than women (p = 0.0002). Women surgeons had a much lower likelihood of being at the highest levels of leadership (OR: 0.372, 95% CI: 0.216-0.641). This study demonstrates that women surgeons are significantly underrepresented at the highest levels of academic promotion and leadership in Canada. Our findings allow for a direct comparison between Canadian surgical subspecialties and universities. Individual institutions can use these data to critically appraise diversity policies already in place, assess their workforce and apply a metric from which change can be measured.

Effective Leadership and Readership as an Indicator for Academic Excellence in Nigeria Institutions of Higher Learning

Higher Education, no doubt, has been universally acclaimed as the bedrock for national development and effective Leadership as the drivers of academic excellence in the Institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. Qualitative teaching and learning remains the engine room that derives good governance and propels leadership positions. Leadership, however, cannot exist without Readership. The two are relatively interwoven. Leadership and readership has over the years become critical issues in organizational theory and practice. Thus, leadership and readership need to be taken up as a cause to be promoted in pursuit of academic excellence in the Institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. Reading is a great investment in one’s personal development and, by extension, in achieving desired academic excellence. In this research, concrete effort is made to clarify the key concept of Leadership and Readership as drivers of academic excellence in the Institutions of higher learning in Nigeria, especially in the Polytechnic System. The research equally investigates both internal and external factors militating against academic excellence in Nigeria citadel of learning and finally makes recommendations, among which is training and retraining of employees, discouragements of unnecessary political interferences in appointments into academic leadership positions, Staff recruitments, admission of undergraduate students and effective monitoring policy of civil service rules.

Gender, networks and academic leadership: A systematic review

This article systematically reviews 35 empirical articles on the topic of networks and career advancement into academic leadership positions. Our objectives in this systematic review are to clarify (a) the functions that networks fulfil, (b) the outcomes of these functions in terms of career advancement and (c) whether networks are likely to result in more or less career advancement for women compared to men. Four databases were searched using the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) approach to select eligible studies published between 1990 and 2019. We distinguish three different functions that networks may fulfil: operational, developmental and strategic. Mixed results are found for the operational and developmental network functions, while the results suggest that the strategic function contributes to career advancement, particularly for men. The reason for this can be found in the masculine academic context. Our findings implicate that a solution involving equal network opportunities needs to be taken up by the academic community as a whole. To further develop the research field, we call for (a) more consistent conceptualisation, (b) more attention to the multiple functions of networks and networking behaviour and (c) more advanced study designs.

28546 Sex and ethnic representation in dermotologic fellowships: An examination of national trends 2006-2018

Background: Despite multiple initiatives to encourage equitable gender and race representation, academic dermatology leadership positions remain underrepresented in sex and ethnic diversity. It is important to understand current trends in dermotologic residencies and fellowships and in other specialties, to develop effective initiatives to address discrepancies.

Where are the women and underrepresented minorities in medicine? Race/ethnicity and gender representation in oncology journals’ editorial boards.

11007 Background: The proportion of women &amp; underrepresented groups in medicine (URM) in the field of hematology and oncology remains low, particularly in academic leadership positions. Editorial board appointments allow physicians to have a substantial impact on the nature of the published scholarly work and serve as a platform for academic opportunities. We aimed to assess gender and race/ethnicity representation in editorial board positions in hematology and oncology journals. Methods: Editorial leadership board members from 60 journals from oncology, hematology, radiation oncology, and surgical oncology were reviewed, 54 journals were included in the analysis. Gender and race/ethnicity were determined based on publicly available data for editor-in-chief (EiC) and second-in-command (SiC) (including deputy, senior, or associate editors). Descriptive statistics and chi-squared were estimated. Results: A total of 793 editorial board members are included in the analysis. 72.6 % were men and 27.4 % were women. 71.3% of editorial leadership were non-Hispanic white with Asian editorial board members representing the second largest majority at 23.3%. The editorial position was significantly different among men and women (p = 0.038) with women filling only 15.9% (10/63) of the EiC positions. Of these 10 women, the racial breakdown was 90% white and 10% Asian. In the prevalence odds ratio (pOR), women were about half as likely to be in the EiC position compared with men [pOR: 0.47, 95%CI (0.23, 0.95, p = 0.03)]. Women represented 28.4% (207/730) of SiC editorial positions. White editors had the highest representation at 71.0% in the SiC editorial positions, followed by Asian editors at 16.0%. Notable differences were seen in gender proportions between journal specialties (p = 0.001); with surgical oncology and hematology having the lowest female representation at 11.9% and 22.7%, respectively. Conclusions: Women and UIM are markedly underrepresented in leadership roles on Editorial Boards in hematology and oncology journals. Importantly, the representation of minority women physicians in EiC positions is at an inexorable zero which is a sign of unconscious attitudes that may exclude women and minorities from certain positions. It is imperative that we work to move towards a more diverse and inclusive editorial board to ensure critical perspectives are heard and scientific discovery is fostered.[Table: see text]

Celebrating Professor Barry M. Trost's 80th Birthday

Celebrating Professor Barry M. Trost's 80^th Birthday

Negotiating tensions in identity: from physical education teacher educator to academic leader

ABSTRACT Academics in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE), similar to their counterparts in other disciplines, receive little formal preparation when they take on academic leadership positions. Yet such career changes require different skill sets and expose academics to complex challenges of leadership. We (three academics) initiated this study to explore the implications of academic leadership positions for our PETE identities. We wished to unpack the consequences of taking on these leadership roles, or our ‘desire to become more’ and ‘to better understand’ (Ovens, A., & Fletcher, T. (2014). Doing self-study: The art of turning inquiry on yourself. In A. Ovens & T. Fletcher (Eds.), Self-study in physical education teacher education: Exploring the interplay of practice and scholarship (Vol. 13, pp. 3–14). London: Springer, p. 7). This research used a collective self-study methodology and drew on Skype meetings, reflections, critical friend prompts and emails. We present our findings as coming to view identity changes as tensions: bridging between roles; competing identities; identity as stable or malleable; and educator or fiscal manager. Gee’s four identity perspectives including natural, institutional, discursive and affinity are used to unpack these tensions. While challenges associated with our role change persist, collective S-STEP was critical to understanding ourselves, the tensions experienced, and navigating the gaps between PETE and academic leadership.