Promoting Greater Diversity and Inclusion in Radiology Research: A Survey of the American Association for Women Radiologists

American Association for Women in Radiology

For the past 40 years the American Association for Women in Radiology (AAWR) has continued to support efforts to achieve its founding goals of improving the visibility of women in radiology, advancing the professional and academic standing of women in radiology, and identifying and addressing issues faced by women in radiology. In the past 5 years, the AAWR has made great strides to support women in radiology through amplifying the voices of women heard at the American College of Radiology (ACR) Annual Meeting, initiating the AAWR Research & Education Capital Campaign, establishing the fellows of the AAWR, and advocating for practicing radiologists and trainee parental leave. The many accomplishments of the AAWR over the past 40 years and the committed future work of the AAWR ensure the voices of women in radiology are heard and the needs of women in radiology are recognized.

Are Women Disadvantaged in Academic Radiology?

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Women remain underrepresented in leadership positions in radiology. We sought to determine if 1) women are equitably represented in the senior author positions in radiology journals and 2) if women's contributions to the radiology literature and their individual productivity are proportional to their representation at senior academic rank.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The gender of 3,702 first and last authors listed for manuscripts published in nine high-impact American radiology journals was assessed between 2002-2017. For the same years, the gender composition of academic faculty and ranks based on AAMC data was queried. Statistical tests were employed to detect discrepancies and changes over time.

RESULTS

First authorship by women grew from 26.9% to 37.4% and from 15.7% to 23.9% as senior author between 2002-2017 (P<.0001). Although the index of manuscript productivity rate was nearly equal for men and women over the 16-year study period, women remained under-represented in senior radiology faculty rank over the same period.

CONCLUSIONS

Although women have proportionally increased their contribution to the radiology literature over the years, commensurate increased representation of women in senior authorship and faculty positions was not observed. Despite increased involvement of women in research over time, they remain disproportionately at junior faculty positions.

Gender Differences Among Academic Pediatric Radiology Faculty in the United States and Canada

OBJECTIVE

It is currently unknown whether efforts in recent years to create equal opportunities for female faculty in academic medicine have succeeded. We looked at faculty members in academic pediatric radiology departments across the United States and Canada to assess for evidence of gender disparities and differences in academic performance between males and females.

METHODS

The analysis included diagnostic radiology programs across the United States and Canada, as specified by the American Medical Association's Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA Online) and the Canadian Resident Matching Service website. The Scopus database was used to retrieve the H-index, number of publications, and number of citations for each faculty member. We examined the distribution of male and female faculty members across geographical regions, academic ranks, and leadership roles. Academic performance was also compared.

RESULTS

Across all regions and academic ranks, disparities exist between the number of male and female faculty members. The greatest disparity was found amongst the professor rank, where more than 70% of positions were occupied by males. Female professors were found to demonstrate similar levels of academic performance compared to their male counterparts, although this parity was not observed amongst assistant and associate professors.

CONCLUSION

Women occupied almost half (46.6%) of the total academic pediatric radiology workforce, despite having been previously shown to make up only 21% of radiologists. However, gender disparities currently exist among academic pediatric radiology faculty, with a significantly higher percentage of men in pediatric radiology faculty positions. Women, however, currently occupy a greater percentage of leadership positions compared to men, even though the majority of senior academic ranks are held by men.

The Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion

Although there is an increasing understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusion in all aspects of radiology training and practice, many radiology practices have yet to invest into programs that raise awareness and assure that diversity and inclusion goals are met. In many instances, leadership fails to see the value of such investments. Here, we explore what can be learned from other industries in making the business case for diversity and inclusion.