The underrepresentation of women and ethnic minorities in anesthesiology.

PURPOSE: Diversity is crucial in the medical field, where patients have a significantly wide range of ethnic and racial backgrounds. With the increase in diversity in medical school and the growing list of subspecialties in medicine, we would expect to see a rise in diversity in the field of anesthesiology. The purpose of this study is to analyze the representation of gender and underrepresented minorities in anesthesiology residency programs from 2013 through 2019. METHODS: To study the ethnic, racial and gender diversity in residents in the field of anesthesiology, data was analyzed from the self-reported data collected in the Journal of the American Medical Association annual report on Graduate Medical Education over the academic period from 2013 through 2019. RESULTS: In 2013, female trainees made up 36.0% and Black trainees encompassed 5.9% whereas in 2019, female trainees comprised a mere 33.0% of total anesthesiology residents while Black trainees decreased to 5.5%. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the disparity in the demographic composition of anesthesiology trainees and emphasizes the importance of having a more diverse workforce in the field of anesthesiology.