Gender Representation and Compensation Trends in Otolaryngology Over the Past Decade

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate trends by gender in representation and compensation in academic otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) over the past decade as compared to those in comparative surgical specialties. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: US academic medical institutions. METHODS: The 2015 to 2024 Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Faculty Salary Reports were analyzed. Univariate linear regressions assessed trends by gender in faculty representation and median compensation for OHNS, general surgery, ophthalmology, and neurosurgery. RESULTS: From 2015 to 2024, female representation increased at all ranks in OHNS. Assistant professors saw the fastest growth (+12.38/year, P < .001), followed by associate professors (+6.99/year, P < .001), professors (+4.68/year, P < .001), chiefs (+0.59/year, P = .012) and chairs (+0.47/year, P = .004). Increases in female faculty outpaced growth for male faculty at all ranks except chief (chief [male]: +1.77/year, P = .017). Over this time, the gender pay difference narrowed significantly for assistant (-0.42%/year, P = .029) and associate professors (-0.86%/year, P = .008). Cross-specialty comparisons showed that ophthalmology had greater female representation at every rank compared to OHNS but saw a widening pay difference at the associate professor level (+1.17%/year, P = .038). General surgery had improved gender representation over the study period at all ranks except chair but without any significant changes in gender pay difference. For neurosurgery, the gender pay difference narrowed only for assistant professors (-0.74%/year, P = .016), but gender representation at this level did not improve (+0.16%/year, P = .28). CONCLUSION: Over the past decade, OHNS has demonstrated improvements in gender representation and pay equity at junior ranks, but differences persist at senior levels. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.