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Cote SL, Nguyen A, Berry JL, Reid M, Chang J, Chen J, Nguyen A, Chang MY. Gender Disparities in Mentorship and Career Outcomes in Ophthalmology. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2024; 33:1120-1127. [PMID: 38634534 DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2023.0876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Gender disparities in the field of ophthalmology have been increasingly recognized. Although mentorship has been proposed as a contributing factor, there are limited data on the differences in mentorship experiences by gender among ophthalmologists. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate gender disparities in mentorship experiences among ophthalmologists, and the impact of mentorship disparities on career outcomes. Design: Prospective, cross-sectional study. Setting: Web-based survey distributed through ophthalmology listservs. Participants: Ophthalmologists and ophthalmologists-in-training who completed the survey. Exposure: Training and practicing in the field of ophthalmology. Main Outcome Measures: Mentorship score based on 10 items from a previously published scale of mentorship quality and self-reported career outcomes (income, job satisfaction, achievement of career goals, and support to achieve future career goals). Results: We received survey responses from 202 male and 245 female ophthalmologists. Female ophthalmologists reported significantly lower mentorship satisfaction and worse quality of mentorship (p < 0.03). Female ophthalmologists also reported significantly lower income, worse job satisfaction, and lower rates of goal achievement and support to achieve future goals; all of these career outcomes, except income level, were partly mediated by mentorship score (mediation effect ranged from 29% to 68%, p < 0.014). Conclusions and Relevance: Gender-based inequities in achievement of career goals and job satisfaction are partly mediated by disparities in mentorship. Therefore, focused mentorship of women in ophthalmology at all career stages is imperative to reduce these inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Cote
- Division of Ophthalmology, The Vision Center at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Roski Eye Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Angeline Nguyen
- Division of Ophthalmology, The Vision Center at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Roski Eye Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jesse L Berry
- Division of Ophthalmology, The Vision Center at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Roski Eye Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Mark Reid
- Division of Ophthalmology, The Vision Center at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jessica Chang
- Roski Eye Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jenny Chen
- Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Annie Nguyen
- Roski Eye Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Melinda Y Chang
- Division of Ophthalmology, The Vision Center at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Roski Eye Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Jiao C, Patel PA, Ibnamasud S, Patel PN, Ahmed H, Law JC. Descriptive Analysis of Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship Program Directors. JOURNAL OF VITREORETINAL DISEASES 2024; 8:280-285. [PMID: 38770078 PMCID: PMC11102720 DOI: 10.1177/24741264241230385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the demographic, educational, and scholarly characteristics of Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology-accredited vitreoretinal surgery fellowship program directors in the United States and Canada. Methods: Demographic, educational, and scholarly profiles of identified program directors were collated from online public resources. Characteristics were compared by sex, program size, ranking, and affiliation. Results: Eighty-one program directors (mean age [±SD] 54.7 ± 11.0 years) from 78 fellowship programs were identified. The minority were women (14.8%), who were on average 6 years younger than their male counterparts (P = .07). The majority of program directors had an academic affiliation (90.1%), most commonly professor (54.8%). The mean h-index, 5-year h-index, and m-quotient were 20.9 ± 14.9, 5.9 ± 4.4, and 0.82 ± 0.42, respectively. Compared with their counterparts, program directors of both "top 10" and large programs published more manuscripts (P < .05), accrued more citations (P < .05), and had a higher h-index (P < .05). Fellowship programs with female program directors had a significantly larger proportion of female retina faculty (P = .002). Conclusions: The backgrounds of vitreoretinal surgery program directors are diverse. However, women remain underrepresented in this position, highlighting an area with the potential for greater equity in ophthalmology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Jiao
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Parth A. Patel
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | | | - Prem N. Patel
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Harris Ahmed
- Department of Ophthalmology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Janice C. Law
- Department of Ophthalmology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
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Vought R, Vought V, Lin M, Nguyen H, Szirth B, Khouri AS, Habiel M. Gender Representation Among Ophthalmology Fellowship Directors in 2022. Am J Ophthalmol 2024; 259:166-171. [PMID: 37944687 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2023.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Women are underrepresented in several medical specialties, including ophthalmology. Reducing disparities is critical in diversifying perspectives and increasing equity within ophthalmology, both of which can ultimately improve care delivery. We examined ophthalmic fellowship programs directors in the United States to investigate gender disparities by subspecialty. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. METHODS This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of ophthalmology fellowship program directors in academic medical centers. The primary outcome measure was a descriptive analysis of current fellowship directors in 2022 when stratified by subspecialty and demographic features. RESULTS Analysis was conducted on 358 fellowship directors in the United States. Twenty-nine percent of directors were women. Female directors had significantly fewer years since residency graduation compared with male peers (17 vs 24; P < .001); however, no differences were observed by program type (P = .896) or location (P = 0.104). Differences in female director representation were observed by subspecialty (P < .001), with the greatest percentage of women in pediatric ophthalmology (54%), other (oncology and pathology) fellowships (50%), and medical retina (40%). The subspecialties with the lowest percentage of female directors were oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery (13%) surgical retina and vitreous (16%). CONCLUSION There are disparities in female representation in academic leadership positions across ophthalmic subspecialties. Addressing this difference may have critical impacts on career advancement and opportunities available for marginalized groups in medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Vought
- From the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Victoria Vought
- From the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Myriam Lin
- From the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Helen Nguyen
- From the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Bernard Szirth
- From the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Albert S Khouri
- From the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Miriam Habiel
- From the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
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