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Racial and Ethnic Diversity Trends of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) and Non-OBGYN Residents, 2014-2019
Purpose: Examine the racial/ethnic trends of OBGYN residents compared to those of non-OBGYN residents.
Background: While racial and ethnic minorities comprise 40% of the US population, the demographics of US physicians do not reflect this diversity. Specialties may improve this by attracting more diverse candidates to their residencies.
Methods: We analyzed the race and ethnicity of OBGYN and non-OBGYN residents as reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association Medical Education report between 2014 and 2019. We performed logistic regression to estimate the change in odds of each race/ethnicity by year and the differences between OBGYN and non-OBGYN specialties.
Results: In 2014, race and ethnicity of OBGYN versus non-OBGYN residents was reported as White (68% vs 58%), Asian (15% vs 28%), Black (10% vs 6%), American Indian (0.2% vs 0.2%), Native Hawaiian (0.2% vs 0.2%), Multiracial (4% vs 3%), Other (4% vs 6%), and Hispanic (10% vs 8%). By 2019, there was no significant change in the proportion of Hispanic OBGYN residents (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99-1.04) but there was a significant increase among non-OBGYN residents (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.02). The proportion of Black OBGYN residents decreased significantly (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.91-0.96), while this decrease was not significant among non-OBGYN residents (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-1.00).
Discussions: Racial and ethnic trends in resident physicians do not reflect the increasingly diverse US population. Within OBGYN, workforce diversity is critical to improve physician preparedness for caring for a diverse population and may address the staggering racial and ethnic disparities that persist in maternal mortality.
Topics:
CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2021, Student, Resident, Faculty, Clerkship Director, Residency Director, Systems-Based Practice & Improvement, CME, Public Health, Advocacy,