Percentage of women residents decreasing in ophthalmology

Since 2011, the percentage of female residents in the field of ophthalmology has been decreasing, according to a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology.

“This study provides evidence that the underrepresentation of women in the field of ophthalmology extends from trainees to faculty,” the authors wrote. The study also found that the percentage of women in ophthalmology is lower than percentages in other specialties.

The study analyzed data from 2807 ophthalmology applicants; 1,004,563 residents; 463,079 clinical faculty members; and 78,968 AAO members.

Key takeaways include:

-For AAO member, men outnumbered women practicing ophthalmologists by 3:1.

-Despite a 2.3% increase in the percentage of female residents across all surgical specialties from 2011 to 2019, there was a 2.5% decrease in the percentage of women residents in ophthalmology during that same period.

-From 2016 to 2019, male ophthalmology residency applicants outnumbered female applicants by a ratio of 1.6:1.

Reference
Aguwa UT, Srikumaran D, Green LK, et al. Analysis of Sex Diversity Trends Among Ophthalmology Match Applicants, Residents, and Clinical Faculty. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online September 23, 2021. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2021.3729