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Description

Background: Although the U.S. population is becoming increasingly diverse, gender and racial diversity in medicine is lacking. Improving the diversity of the physician workforce can have an important impact on improving health care access and outcomes for underserved patients.

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine trends in sex, racial, and ethnic diversity of trainees in the field of dermatology.

Methods: Graduate medical education supplements published annually in the Journal of the American Medical Association were used to obtain demographic data of dermatology trainees from 2014-2018.

Research: Over the past five years, women have made up the majority of trainees in dermatology. The representation of female residents has remained relatively stable from 2014-2018, with most current data indicating women comprise 60.78% of dermatology residents. When examining resident physicians in all specialty programs, women comprise 45.56% of trainees. Although women have consistently made up the majority of dermatology trainees from 2014-2018, they remain relatively underrepresented in dermatopathology, micrographic surgery, and dermatologic oncology. Over the past 5 years, women have made up 52.80% of trainees in dermatopathology fellowships. Similarly, women have comprised 47.78% of trainees in micrographic surgery and dermatologic oncology.

Conclusions: Dermatology is one of few medical specialties in which women comprise the majority of trainees and a significant portion of the active workforce. Further efforts and initiatives to improve diversity in dermatology residency and fellowship programs may be necessary, especially at the medical student level.

Publication Date

9-2020

Keywords

sex, diversity, dermatology, representation

Diversity of Dermatology Trainees, 2014-2018

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