Assessment of gender equality among graduates of anesthesiology residency in the last decade: A national data analysis

Abstract

Aim: Despite the global upward trend in the representation of female doctors, certain medical specialties continue to exhibit a notable gender disparity. The presence of an equitable gender distribution within the healthcare sector has been shown to enhance the overall quality of service provision and has the potential to enhance performance outcomes. The objective of our research is to examine the gender composition of anesthesiology and reanimation professionals in Turkey.

Methods: Data was collected regarding physicians who successfully completed their anesthesiology and reanimation specialization training and subsequently participated in the state service obligation lottery since the year 2013. Data provided by the General Directorate of Management Services of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health. The gender of the specialist physicians in the specified time period and the type of hospital they trained in were collected.

Results: There were 1249 males and 1400 females among the 2649 specialists with no difference in the gender distribution. Upon conducting separate annual evaluations, there were significant increases in the proportions of men in the years 2017 and 2021, as well as women in the years 2019 and 2023. Additionally, 852 of them had received specialization from training hospitals and 1797 from university hospitals. Over the course of a decade, there was an absence of variation in the hospital preferences of anesthesiologists with regards to gender distribution. However, in the subsequent years of 2018, 2021, and 2023, female anesthesiologists exhibited a significantly higher preference for these hospitals. In 2019, a notable trend was observed wherein female anesthesiologists from university hospitals, while in 2021, male anesthesiologists demonstrated a similar inclination.

Conclusions: In Turkey, the field of anesthesiology and reanimation demonstrates a balanced gender distribution in terms of expertise. There is no discernible disparity in the gender distribution among anesthesiologist' hospital preferences.