Abstract
Purpose
The specialty of anesthesiology in Canada has traditionally had a larger proportion of male practitioners. More recently, however, the proportion of female medical students has increased. We sought to determine if the gender ratio within the specialty of anesthesiology in Canada has followed the female:male distribution patterns within medical schools.
Methods
Gender-specific data were obtained from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS), and the Program Director from each of the 16 Canadian Anesthesiology Residency Training Programs.
Results
The ratio of practicing female:male anesthesiologists increased from 0.29:1 in 1998 to 0.34:1 in 2005. The ratio was greatest in the youngest age grouping (< 45 yr), at 0.49:1, and lowest in the > 64 age group, at 0.16:1. As of the 2004-2005 academic year, there were 201 women in a Canadian anesthesiology residency program vs 316 males, a female:male ratio of 0.64:1. Female medical students were less likely to rank anesthesiology residency as their first choice in the annual CaRMS match as compared to their male counterparts; a mean of 21 female medical students ranked an English anesthesiology residency program as their first choice in the CaRMS match, vs a mean of 35 males, from 1993-2005 (inclusive).
Conclusions
The number (and female:male ratio) of women in anesthesiology in Canada is increasing gradually. However, more males continue to enter the field than women. This may be explained by a lower number of women who rank anesthesiology as their first choice in the annual CaRMS match.
Résumé
Objectif
La spécialité de ľanesthésiologie au Canada a traditionnellement compté une plus grande proportion ďhommes. Plus récemment, toutefois, la proportion ďétudiantes en médecine a augmenté. Nous voulions déterminer si la proportion hommesfemmes dans la spécialité a suivi les mêmes modèles de distribution que ceux des écoles de médecine.
Méthode
Les données spécifiques au sexe ont été obtenues du Collège royal des médecins et chirurgiens du Canada, de ľInstitut canadien ďinformation sur la santé, du Service canadien de jumelage des résidents (SCJR) et des patrons de chacun des 16 Programmes canadiens de résidence en anesthésiologie.
Résultats
La proportion femmes:hommes chez les anesthésiologistes praticiens est passée de 0,29:1 en 1998 à 0,34:1 en 2005. Le ratio était plus élevé chez les médecins de < 45 ans, à 0,49:1 et plus faible dans le groupe ďâge > 64 ans, à 0,16:1. Pour ľannée académique 2004-2005, il y avait 201 femmes dans un Programme canadien de résidence en anesthésiologie vs 316 hommes, un ratio femmes:hommes de 0,64:1. Les étudiantes en médecine sélectionnaient moins souvent ľanesthésiologie comme premier choix de résidence selon le SCJR comparativement à leurs homologues masculins ; une moyenne de 21étudiantes en médecine a choisi un programme anglais de résidence en anesthésiologie comme prioritaire selon le SCJR, vs une moyenne de 35 hommes, de 1993 à 2005, inclusivement.
Conclusion
Le nombre de femmes, et le ratio femmes:hommes, en anesthésiologie au Canada augmentent peu à peu. Cependant, plus ďhommes que de femmes continuent de s’y inscrire. Cette situation pourrait s’expliquer par le plus faible nombre de femmes qui classent ľanesthésiologie comme premier choix dans le jumelage du SCJR.
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Baerlocher, M.O., Hussain, R. & Bradley, J. Gender patterns amongst Canadian anesthesiologists. Can J Anesth 53, 437–441 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03022614
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03022614