xRead - Mentorship in Otolaryngology Trainees (March 2026)

DeSisto et al.

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Microsoft Excel. Analysis of the cross-sectional portion of this study involved stratification of program character istics (percent women residents, percent women faculty, etc) by program chair gender. A Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to determine differences in categorical variables and a Fisher’s exact test for continuous variables within this stratification. Similar analysis was conducted after stratification between gender of medical school deans as well as gender of program directors. Pearson’s correlation was used to analyze the relationship between percent women faculty members and the percentage of women residents. All analysis was performed using R (R. Studio, Boston, MA) version 4.1.2. Results Three hundred thirteen unique references were identified. Of these, 20 studies included a description of gender com position of residents and faculty in OHNS residency pro grams with the earliest publication being from 1979. There was an overall trend of an increasing number of women within all ranks of OHNS. The total number of women chairs published in current literature increased from 3 in 2013 to 10 in 2022 (Figure 1). 4,11-16 Similarly, over this time frame, the percentage of women residency program direc tors reported increased from 16% to 30% (Figure 2). 4,11-16 An increase in the reported number of women residents was seen with 19% of OHNS residents being women in 2001 compared to 42% in 2022 (Figure 3). 12-16 A single article published in 1979 indicated that less than 1% of OHNS fac ulty were women. 17 This published number increased to 25% in 2019 and 27% in 2022. 12,14,18 One hundred twenty-three academic OHNS resi dency programs were identified on cross-sectional anal ysis. No programs were excluded. The gender composition of residents, faculty, and academic leader ship positions within OHNS residency programs is dis played in Table 1. As academic rank increases, the number of women in each position decreases. Forty-two percent of residents are women, whereas 26.6% and 8.1% of faculty and department chairs are women, respectively. Women accounted for 30% and 18% of residency program directors and fellowship directors, respectively. The fellowship director gender composi tion for all 8 recognized OHNS fellowships associated with academic residency programs may be found in Table 2. Ten women OHNS department chairs were identified, 1 of whom was in an interim position. Gender of OHNS department chair was significantly correlated with proportion of women faculty. Of the pro grams with a female department chair, 33% of faculty were women and 67% were men compared to 27% women and 73% men for programs with a male OHNS or General Surgery department chair ( P = .01). In fact, any woman in

Figure 1. Published number of female Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery department chairs by year.

Figure 2. Published percentage of female Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery residency program directors by year.

Figure 3. Published percentage of female Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery resident physicians by year.

Table 1. Academic Positions by Title and Gender (2022-2023 Academic Year). Academic Title Women Men % Women OHNS Department Chair 10 113 8.1 OHNS Residency Program Director 37 86 30.1 OHNS Fellowship Director 36 156 18.8 OHNS Faculty 772 2130 26.6 OHNS Residents 735 1000 42.3 Medical School Dean 32 91 26.0

Abbreviation: OHNS, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.