Disclosures: Marlena Rose. Mueller, DO: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest

Objective: Despite women accounting for nearly half of all medical school graduates in the US, female physicians remain underrepresented among Physiatry residency programs, fellowships, and clinical practice. In 2017, 35.3% of practicing Physiatrists were female (AAMC), and according to ACGME data, females accounted for 37.3% of all current Physiatry residents in 2018-2019, which is a decreased number from recent years. The aim of the study is to determine the proportion of female Physiatry fellows in ACGME-accredited fellowships.

Design: Gender demographics for Physiatry fellows were analyzed for 5 ACGME-accredited fellowships (Pain, Sports, Brain injury, Spinal Cord Injury, and Pediatric Rehab) from publicly available information catalogued by the AAMC and ACGME from the past 5 years. Setting : Academic teaching institution Participants : PMR fellows in the 5 ACGME-accredited fellowships

Interventions: Gender demographics for Physiatry fellows were analyzed for 5 ACGME-accredited fellowships (Pain, Sports, Brain injury, Spinal Cord Injury, and Pediatric Rehab) from publicly available information catalogued by the AAMC and ACGME from the past 5 years.

Main Outcome Measures: In 2018-2019, female physicians represented 29% of all fellows in the 5 fellowship programs. The lowest was in Pain fellowships (21%).

Results: Physiatry fellowship programs overall have a low level of female representation. Statistical analysis indicates that gender diversity has not been improving over the last 5 years, and has actually overall declined. In 2018-2019, female physicians represented 29% of all fellows in ACGME-accredited multidisciplinary Pain, Sports Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury, Brain Injury, and Pediatric Rehab fellowship programs. The percentage of female physicians was highest in Pediatric Rehab fellowships (81%) and lowest in Pain fellowships (21%). Conclusions: Despite women accounting for nearly half of all medical school graduates in the US, female physicians remain underrepresented among Physiatry fellowships overall, particularly in Pain Medicine.

Level of Evidence: Level III

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/gender-discrepancies-in-pmr-fellowship-programs/