Colon and Rectal Surgery Robotic Training Programs: An Evaluation of Gender Disparities.

Publication Title

Diseases of the colon and rectum

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2020

Keywords

Colectomy; Colorectal Surgery; Education; Female; Humans; Male; Rectal Neoplasms; Retrospective Studies; Robotic Surgical Procedures; Sexism; Surgeons; diversity/inclusion

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Female surgeons are subjected to implicit bias throughout their careers. The evaluation of gender bias in training is warranted with increasing numbers of female trainees in colon and rectal surgery.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate gender bias in colon and rectal surgery training program operative experience.

DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study.

SETTING: The Association of Program Directors for Colon and Rectal Surgery robotic case log database contains operative details (procedure, attending surgeon, case percentage, and operative segments) completed by trainees as console surgeon for 2 academic years (2016-2017, 2017-2018).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcomes measured are the percentage of trainee console participation and the completion of total mesorectal excision. Resident and attending surgeon gender was recorded retrospectively. The cohort was separated into 4 groups based on resident and attending surgeon gender combination. Case volume, average console participation per case, and completion of total mesorectal excisions were compared for each group by using interaction regression analysis.

RESULTS: Fifty-two training programs participated, including 120 trainees and 190 attending surgeons. Forty-five (37.5%) trainees and 36 (18.9%) attending surgeons were women. The average number of cases per trainee was 23.27 per year for women and 28.15 per year for men (p = 0.19). Average console participation was 53.5% for women and 61.7% for men (p < 0.001). Male attending surgeons provided female trainees less console participation than male counterparts (52.1% vs 59.7%, p < 0.001). Female attending surgeons provided the same amount of console participation to female and male trainees (63.3% vs 61.8%, p = 0.62). Male trainees performed significantly more complete total mesorectal excision console cases than female trainees (57.16% vs 42.38%, p < 0.0001).

LIMITATIONS: The data are subject to self-reporting bias.

CONCLUSIONS: There is gender disparity in robotic operative experience in colon and rectal surgery training programs with less opportunity for console participation and less opportunity to complete total mesorectal excisions for female trainees. This trend should be highlighted and further evaluated to resolve this disparity. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B224. PROGRAMAS DE CAPACITACIÓN ROBÓTICA SOBRE CIRUGÍA DE COLON Y RECTO: UNA EVALUACIÓN DE LAS DISPARIDADES DE GÉNERO: Cirujanos mujeres están sujetas a sesgos implícitos a lo largo de sus carreras. La evaluación del sesgo de género en el entrenamiento se amerita por un número cada vez mayor de aprendices femeniles en cirugía de colon y recto.Evaluar el sesgo de género en la experiencia operativa en programas de entrenamiento de cirugía de colon y recto.Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo.La base de datos de registro de casos robóticos de la Asociación de Directores de Programas para Cirugía de Colon y Rectal contiene detalles operativos (procedimiento, cirujano asistente, porcentaje de casos y segmentos operativos) completados por los alumnos como cirujanos de consola durante dos años académicos (2016-17, 2017-18).Porcentaje de participación de la consola de entrenamiento y finalización de la escisión mesorrectal total. Se registraron retrospectivamente el sexo de los médicos residentes y asistentes. La cohorte se separó en cuatro grupos según la combinación de género residente y asistente. El volumen de casos, la participación promedio de la consola por caso y la finalización de las extirpaciones mesorrectales totales se compararon para cada grupo mediante el análisis de regresión de interacción.Participaron 52 programas de capacitación, incluidos 120 aprendices y 190 cirujanos asistentes. Cuarenta y cinco (37.5%) aprendices y 36 (18.9%) cirujanos asistentes eran mujeres. El número promedio de casos por aprendiz fue de 23.27 / año para mujeres y 28.15 / año para hombres (p = 0.19). La participación promedio de la consola fue del 53.5% para las mujeres y del 61.7% para los hombres (p

Area of Special Interest

Cancer

Area of Special Interest

Digestive Health

Specialty/Research Institute

Oncology

Specialty/Research Institute

Gastroenterology

Specialty/Research Institute

Swedish Digestive Health Institute

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