(1108) Evaluating Training Experiences of Otolaryngology Residents in the United States

Introduction: Otolaryngology residents often experience work-related stress and challenges during training. Sociodemographic factors influence residency training experiences; however, the impact of race, gender, access to mentorship, and residency location on otolaryngology residents remains understudied.

Methods: An anonymous online survey consisting of 59 multiple choice questions was sent to 104 directors of ACGME-accredited otolaryngology residency programs across the United States to share with their residents. Respondents were queried regarding demographics, access to mentorship, potential biases, perceived well-being, impact of COVID-19 pandemic on training, and more.

Results: In total, 61 otolaryngology residents responded to the survey (60.7% women, 37.7% men, 1.6% prefer not to respond). Most respondents were Caucasian (62%), Asian/Pacific Islander (16%), or Hispanic/Latino/a/x (13%). A sizable cohort of residents reported that they believed bias due to race (29.5%) or gender (45.9%) negatively impacted research and training opportunities. Of women, 94.6% said that someone had mistaken them for a nurse in the past 12 months, compared to 0% of men. Of underrepresented minorities, 33.3% noted someone had assumed they were not a physician due to their race, compared to 0% of Caucasian respondents. Fewer women (37.8%) than men (56.5%) indicated that they were thriving in residency, and more men (82.6%) than women (59.5%) reported feeling confident in their ability to independently care for patients. The percentage of women who said they planned to pursue a fellowship (32.4%) was less than half of the percentage of men (69.6%) who planned to do so.

Conclusions: This subset of otolaryngology residents reported differential treatment of trainees based on race and gender, with female and underrepresented minority residents perceiving greater exclusion and bias, as well as decreased confidence in patient care and ability to thrive. Data collection is ongoing to capture more residents’ perspectives so that we may better understand and develop interventions to address these issues perceived by otolaryngology residents.