Loading ...

TOPLINE:

Female ophthalmology residents logged 4.4% fewer cataract cases and 7.4% fewer total procedures between 2014 and 2023 than their male counterparts. Residents underrepresented in medicine by race or ethnicity recorded 5.3% fewer total operations than their peers.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers obtained deidentified case logs from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education covering all 4811 US ophthalmology resident graduates from 2014 through 2023 to examine surgical experience.
• The study cohort comprised 1999 female and 2812 male residents; 343 of these graduates identified as being from racial or ethnic groups considered to be underrepresented in medicine.

TAKEAWAY:

• Female residents recorded a mean of 184.4 (standard deviation [SD], 63.2) cataract surgeries, whereas male residents averaged 192.7 (SD, 67.9). The mean difference was –4.4% (95% CI, –6.4 to –2.4; P < .001).
• Female residents logged fewer total procedures on average (561.9 vs 605.4), with a mean difference of –7.4% (95% CI, –9.7 to –5.1; P < .001).
• Underrepresented residents logged fewer total procedures on average (558.1 vs 589.6) than their peers, with a mean difference of –5.3% (95% CI, –9.8 to –0.9; P = .02). The number of cataract surgeries did not significantly differ between the groups.

IN PRACTICE:

“Gender disparity in surgical volume not explained by parental leave has also been described in gastroenterology, general surgery, and otolaryngology training programs,” the researchers wrote. “To our knowledge, there is no evidence to suggest that this disparity results in inadequate preparation for female and underrepresented-in-medicine ophthalmologists entering practice.”

A commentary by Fasika Woreta, MD, MPH, and colleagues highlighted possible reasons for the differences: “There are common factors that female and underrepresented-in-medicine residents may face such as implicit biases, microaggressions, mistreatment, and discrimination, whether it be based on race and ethnicity or gender, that may affect surgical training and should be further explored,” they wrote.

SOURCE:

Susan M. Culican, MD, PhD, with the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in Minneapolis, was the corresponding author of the study, which was published online on May 1 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

LIMITATIONS:

The researchers relied on self-reported case logs. The study did not explore differences in surgical volume across residency sites. 

DISCLOSURES:

Culican and a coauthor declared serving on the ophthalmology review committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. An author declared being an analyst for the council, and another is its vice president of research and evaluation.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.