Influences for gender disparity in dermatology in North America

Abstract

Background

Despite constituting half the population, women represent a minority of active physicians and hold a small proportion of faculty leadership positions in North America. However, dermatology is one of the few specialties where women comprise a substantial portion of the workforce. This study explores extent and contributors to gender disparity in academic dermatology faculty positions, leadership, and research.

Methods

We collected data on academic faculty including leadership from the websites of accredited U.S. and Canadian dermatology faculties. We used PubMed and SCOPUS to collect faculty research information including h-index, number of publications, citations, and years of active research.

Results

Although women constitute almost half of all dermatologists in the U.S. and Canada (47.9%), only one-fourth (26.1%) of all faculty heads are women. Furthermore, the proportion of women in higher faculty ranks (Assistant Professor, Associate Professors, and Professors) is much lower than males. Female dermatologists also have fewer publications, citations, and years of active research. Interestingly, having a female in a leadership position is associated with a higher proportion of female dermatologists in the faculty.

Conclusions

Gender disparity exists in academic dermatology, and the current academics fail to account for the enormous social challenges that women face, which may put them at a disadvantage to career advancement. Among other factors, better representation of female leadership may encourage and inspire women joining academic faculties in the future.