Affiliation:
1. Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Johns Hopkins Hospital Baltimore Maryland USA
2. Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Washington State University Spokane Washington USA
3. ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP New York New York USA
Abstract
AbstractObjectiveIn September 2017, the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO‐HNS) added 2 questions querying panel organizers if gender/racial diversity was considered in selecting panel presenters, beginning with the 2018 Annual Meeting (AM). This study examines how this checklist impacted the gender diversity of panel presenters at the AAO‐HNS AM.Study DesignThis was a cross‐sectional investigation comparing female representation before and after the addition of questions inquiring about diversity in 2018.SettingA review of abstract submissions for the AMs from 2015 to 2021.MethodsAM Official Program Abstracts were used to obtain presenter names and specialty area for each panel. The percentage of female presenters, in total and stratified by specialty area, were compared before and after 2018 to quantify changes following the addition of the checklist.ResultsThere was a significant increase in the proportion of female panel presenters from 22.3% (total n = 1199) in 2015 to 2017 to 33.0% (total n = 1868) in 2018 to 2021 (P < .001) and in all panel specialties. The number of female moderated panels also significantly increased after checklist implementation from 22% to 38% (P < .001). Correspondingly, the number of panels with no female representation decreased from 42% in 2015 to 2017 to 23% in 2018 to 2021 (P < .001).ConclusionThe addition of a checklist asking panel organizers to consider diversity in selecting panelists was associated with an increased proportion of female presenters at the AM. This simple strategy can be implemented by all medical conferences to help close the gender gap.