Trends in the Academic Neurosurgical Workforce: A Longitudinal Analysis of Gender and Racial/Ethnic Representation in the United States From 2012 to 2021.

Background and objectives: The growing importance of diversity in health care and medical education prompted this study to identify trends and disparities in academic neurosurgery. The goal was to provide insights for reshaping future policies and educational strategies while evaluating the evolution of gender and racial/ethnic representation over time. The aim of this study was to assess demographic trends of neurosurgical academic faculty in the United States from 2012 to 2021, within the context of the neurosurgical educational pipeline.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the Association of American Medical Colleges Report on Residents and the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education GME Data Resource Book(s). The study focused on race, ethnicity, and gender data of medical school and neurosurgical residents and faculty from academic years 2012 to 2021.

Results: Neurosurgery Faculty Trends (2012-2021): The data revealed that diversity of neurosurgery faculty lags behind the diversity of the US population at large. Most academic neurosurgery faculty positions are currently held by White and Asian physicians. There has been no significant increase in the proportion of neurosurgery faculty from ethnic groups viewed as underrepresented in neurosurgery over this time period. Neurosurgery faculty members and residents are predominately male, though there is a trend toward an increase in female neurosurgeons.

Conclusion: The study is the first in neurosurgical literature to examine trends in neurosurgery faculty composition by race and gender over the past 10 years. To see changes in the demographics in the future, intentional efforts at diversification of the neurosurgery pipeline are needed.