TY - JOUR
T1 - Which Subspecialties Do Female Orthopaedic Surgeons Choose and Why?
T2 - Identifying the Role of Mentorship and Additional Factors in Subspecialty Choice
AU - Bratescu, Rachel A.
AU - Gardner, Stephanie S.
AU - Jones, Jaclyn M.
AU - Siff, Todd E.
AU - Lambert, Bradley S.
AU - Harris, Joshua D.
AU - Liberman, Shari R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Background:Limited data exist delineating the reasons women choose subspecialties within orthopaedics.Purpose:(1) To perform a survey that determines subspecialties female orthopaedic surgeons select and (2) to analyze the motivations behind their choices.Methods:A 10-question survey was distributed via e-mail to the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society (RJOS), Texas Orthopaedic Association (TOA), and to a private internet page for women in Orthopaedics, which covered the area of subspecialty practice, motivations, and demographic data. Practicing female orthopaedic surgeons, fellows, or fellowship-matched residents were included. Respondents' ranked motivations when deciding for or against a subspecialty were analyzed and comparisons made.Results:Of the 304 survey responses, 288 met inclusion criteria. The most common subspecialties were hand (24.0%), pediatrics (22.6%), and sports medicine (16.3%). A higher proportion of younger surgeons are electing to subspecialize in sports medicine, whereas a lower proportion of younger surgeons are pursuing general orthopaedics. Top-ranked reasons for selecting a subspecialty were personal satisfaction (50.8%), intellectual stimulation (42.1%), and strong mentorship (37.4%). The most common reason for not selecting a subspecialty was lack of interest (60.6%).Conclusion:Strong mentorship was the largest extrinsic/modifiable factor that affected the decision-making process. A continued focus on mentorship will be necessary to encourage future female orthopaedic surgeons to enter this field and inspire them to explore a different set of subspecialties.
AB - Background:Limited data exist delineating the reasons women choose subspecialties within orthopaedics.Purpose:(1) To perform a survey that determines subspecialties female orthopaedic surgeons select and (2) to analyze the motivations behind their choices.Methods:A 10-question survey was distributed via e-mail to the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society (RJOS), Texas Orthopaedic Association (TOA), and to a private internet page for women in Orthopaedics, which covered the area of subspecialty practice, motivations, and demographic data. Practicing female orthopaedic surgeons, fellows, or fellowship-matched residents were included. Respondents' ranked motivations when deciding for or against a subspecialty were analyzed and comparisons made.Results:Of the 304 survey responses, 288 met inclusion criteria. The most common subspecialties were hand (24.0%), pediatrics (22.6%), and sports medicine (16.3%). A higher proportion of younger surgeons are electing to subspecialize in sports medicine, whereas a lower proportion of younger surgeons are pursuing general orthopaedics. Top-ranked reasons for selecting a subspecialty were personal satisfaction (50.8%), intellectual stimulation (42.1%), and strong mentorship (37.4%). The most common reason for not selecting a subspecialty was lack of interest (60.6%).Conclusion:Strong mentorship was the largest extrinsic/modifiable factor that affected the decision-making process. A continued focus on mentorship will be necessary to encourage future female orthopaedic surgeons to enter this field and inspire them to explore a different set of subspecialties.
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U2 - 10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-19-00140
DO - 10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-19-00140
M3 - Article
C2 - 32159066
AN - SCOPUS:85091924088
SN - 2474-7661
VL - 4
JO - Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Global Research and Reviews
JF - Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Global Research and Reviews
IS - 1
M1 - e19.00140
ER -