A Half-Century Review of Male and Female Resident Outcomes in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: A Single-Institution Report.

Background: Limited comprehensive historical data exist comparing male and female residents in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) residency programs. This gap underscores the need to examine sex-based differences to guide equitable policies and practices.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to measure and compare historical enrollment and graduation records between male and female residents within a single OMS residency program.

Study design, setting, sample: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the University of North Carolina OMS graduation records from 1972 to 2023. The sample was composed of all trainees admitted to the program. All residents still in training, however, were not included in the analyses of postgraduate accomplishments.

Independent variable: The independent variable was sex, categorized as male or female.

Outcome variables: The outcome variables were attrition and training accomplishments. We documented medical degree, board certification, postgraduate training, and postgraduate employment for each graduate.

Covariates: There was no covariate in the study.

Analyses: Fisher's exact and χ² tests were used, with a significance threshold of P < .05.

Results: The sample was composed of 148 admitted residents. Women comprised 19.6% (29) of total enrollees. Over time, the proportion of females admitted to the program increased from 0.8% (1/12) to 50% (8/16), P = .002. Among the 115 graduates, 13% (15/115) were women. The attrition rates for male and female residents prior to 2000 were 12% (8/65) and 50% (3/6), respectively (P = .04). However, no statistically significant difference was observed after 2000, (P = .5). postgraduate training (P = .42), postgraduate employment settings (P = .42), board certification status (P = .58), and completion of a medical degree (P = .18) did not differ significantly by sex.

Conclusion and relevance: The University of North Carolina OMS program has seen an increased female representation since its program inception. While female trainees in the past had higher attrition rates, current data no longer support this. Postgraduation outcomes, including postgraduate training, medical degree, board certification, and entry into academic practice-are comparable between male and female graduates. A broader national analysis is recommended to determine if these findings are consistent across other programs.