Does Gender Matter? A Qualitative Analysis of Teaching Award Nominations of General Surgery Chief Residents By Medical Students

Abstract

Purpose Gender disparities have been identified in surgical resident teaching award distribution. Qualitative analysis of resident and faculty teaching award nominations has been performed previously; however, qualitative analysis of students' nominations of residents for teaching awards by gender has not yet been explored. Methods Nominations for resident teaching awards from the past four years at a single institution were grouped by resident gender. Nominations were then analyzed for thematic content via inductive coding methods using MAXQDA software. Results All residents identified as male or female. 40 nominations (13 male, 17 female) were analyzed. The following themes emerged: 1 )Inclusivity 2) Commitment to Teaching 3) Teaching Efficacy 4)Approval of Resident/Role Modeling. Subcategories of major themes were also identified. Many categories were similar for all residents. Notable areas that differed by > 5% of coded text included: female residents were more likely to be described as kind or approachable, and were more commonly described as teaching a specific skill. Male residents were more likely to be described as incorporating the med student into the team, and were more commonly mentioned for teaching in the OR. Conclusion This analysis of medical student nominations for resident teaching awards shows areas of thematic difference between male and female surgical residents and provides insight into how learners may assess teaching skills differently by gender. Further study into how this may apply to faculty and impact the learning environment is warranted.