(1114) Impact of Female Residents and Faculty Representation on Otolaryngology Application Rates Among Female Medical Students

Introduction: Despite the rising gender diversity of medical school graduates, women remain underrepresented in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS). This study aims to investigate how the gender diversity of OHNS residency programs and departments impacts the decision of female students at affiliated medical schools to apply to OHNS.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed all US MD applications submitted to our institution’s OHNS residency program for the 2020-2023 match. We extracted gender and medical school data for each applicant. We then identified all OHNS departments affiliated with the students’ medical schools (n = 103) and used publicly available websites to determine the gender distribution of the residents and faculty. Medical school class size and gender diversity were obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges. We then assessed the relationship between residencies’ and departments’ gender diversity and the proportion of female students applying to OHNS from affiliated medical schools.

Results: Of the 64,907 students who graduated from a US MD medical school with an affiliated OHNS residency and department during the study period, 1,457 applied to OHNS (2.24%), including 612 women (42%). There was a positive correlation between residency programs with higher proportions of female residents and the proportion of female applicants to OHNS from affiliated medical schools (r = 0.273, p = 0.006). While a similar relationship was not observed at the faculty level (r = 0.089, p = 0.372), departments with 6 or more female faculty (n = 54) exhibited higher rates of female OHNS applicants from affiliated medical schools than departments with fewer than 6 female faculty members (n = 49, p = 0.0275).

Conclusions: Higher proportions of female medical students applying to OHNS were noted from medical school affiliated with 1) residency programs with higher proportions of female residents and 2) OHNS departments with 6 or more female faculty members. Greater gender diversity at the residency and faculty levels may be critical factors in encouraging female medical students to apply to OHNS.