Trends in female leadership at high‐profile otolaryngology journals, 1997–2017

Abstract

Objectives To determine the proportion and relative advancement of women in leadership positions at high‐impact otolaryngology journals. Methods Nine clinical otolaryngology journals were selected based on high impact factor and subspecialty representation (journal impact factor, 2016: 1.16–2.95). The proportion of women editorial board members associate and/or section editors, and/or editor‐in‐chief was measured from 1997 to 2017. Comparisons were made to the proportion of women otolaryngology faculty at U.S. medical schools in 2017. Results From 1997 to 2017, female editorial board membership increased from 7.2% (range: 0.0%–12.8%) to 17.7% (range: 10.9%–38.9%) (P = 0.0001). In 2017, the proportion of female editorial board members was significantly less than the proportion of female academic otolaryngology faculty (17.7% vs. 27.7%, P = 0.0001), and there was threefold variation between journals. From 1997 to 2017, the proportion of female associate and/or section editors increased from 9.3% (range: 0.0–27.3) to 20.9% (range: 5.3% to 45.5%) (P = 0.09). In 2017, the proportion of female associate and/or section editors was not significantly different than the proportion of female associate or full professor academic otolaryngology faculty (20.9% vs. 19.5%, P = 0.73), but there was ninefold variation between journals. Conclusion Women were underrepresented on eight of nine otolaryngology editorial boards but appropriately represented at the associate and/or section editorship level. There was remarkable variation in representation at individual journals, which may provide future opportunities to examine best practices. Disparity exists in leadership at the most senior level of these high‐profile otolaryngology journals: none had women editor‐in‐chiefs. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 129:2031–2035, 2019

Female Representation in Otolaryngology Leadership Roles

“…Similar disparities have been found in other leadership roles as well. In high‐profile otolaryngology journals, women are underrepresented on 8/9 editorial boards, but appropriately represented at lower levels . Regarding academic rank, among all academic otolaryngologists, women comprised 138/218 (63%) of instructors, 272/804 (34%) of assistant professors, 115/431 (27%) of associate professors, and 66/497 (13%) of full professors in 2015 to 2016 .…”

Recent Trends in Female and Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups in U.S. Otolaryngology Residency Programs

“…In 2018, 83 of 539 (15.3%) of Oto‐HNS professors were women, and three of 86 (3.6%) of Oto‐HNS department chairs were women 24,25 . Female editorial board membership in major otolaryngology journals also continues to lag, although it has improved from 7.2% in 1997 to 17.7% in 2017 26 . The proportion of women with editorial board positions, however, is still significantly less than the proportion of women with academic faculty positions in otolaryngology (17.7% vs. 27.7% in 2017) 26 …”

Gender Representation at Conferences, Executive Boards, and Program Committees in Otolaryngology

“…According to the most recent analysis of the Association of American Medical Colleges, approximately 33.0% of otolaryngology residents are female and 28.0% of otolaryngology faculty in academic programs within the United States are women 20 . In contrast, women occupy only 14.0% of full professor positions, 13.0% of otolaryngology program director positions, and 3.5% of otolaryngology department chair positions 20–22 . These percentages are lower than the total proportion of women physicians across all fields of medicine, which was 35.2% in 2017 23 .…”