Demographics, measures of professional achievement, and gender differences for diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2015

Gender disparity in the impact of COVID-19 on childcare responsibilities and professional standing among specialty small animal surgeons

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to report the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on childcare responsibilities, mental health, and professional relationships of small animal surgeons.

STUDY DESIGN

Voluntary, non-incentivized, anonymized 40-question internet survey deployed November 2021-February 2022.

SAMPLE POPULATION

A total of 333 completed surveys from veterinary surgeons and residents in the USA.

METHODS

Respondents provided information regarding demographics, family composition, effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on childcare, impact of work-life balance changes on mental health, and interpersonal work relationships. The influence of variables such as age and gender on these data was analyzed. Associations between demographics and responses were analyzed (p < .05).

RESULTS

Families were most commonly categorized as "children and a partner" (139/312, 44.6%), followed by "partner and no children" (100/312, 32%). A total of 46.5% (67/145) of respondents reported disruptions in school schedules affected their work schedule. Female respondents were most likely affected (OR = 2.2, p = .047). Respondents experiencing stress due to disruptions in work-life balance reported three or more feelings of mental distress and were more likely to be female (p < .001). Female gender was associated with a delay in promotion, adverse effects on relationships with colleagues, and negative effects on relationships with administration (p = .016, p < .001, p = .01).

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic affected childcare responsibilities, professional standing, and the mental health of veterinary surgeons. Female gender was the most common variable associated with dysregulation of work-life balance.

CLINICAL IMPACT

Identifying variables assists in creating strategies that improve job satisfaction and serve as a foundation for enhancing the profession's preparedness for future disruptions.

Variables associated with the prevalence of self-reported work-related musculoskeletal disorders in veterinary laparoscopic surgeons

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between physical attributes and difficulty performing laparoscopic maneuvers with the prevalence of self-reported musculoskeletal injury.

STUDY DESIGN

Online survey.

SAMPLE POPULATION

Surgeons (n = 140) with 3 or more years of laparoscopic experience.

METHODS

Electronic survey distributed via LISTSERVEs and Facebook groups. Responses collected included surgeon attributes, presence of musculoskeletal injuries, and surgical practice data. Statistical analysis was performed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, linear regression, logistic regression, and Wilcoxon rank sum tests.

RESULTS

A total of 52 of the 140 respondents reported a musculoskeletal injury with 38 specifying at least one injury (72%). Neck strain was the most prevalent reported musculoskeletal injury (18/52, 34.6%), followed by shoulder tendinopathies (16/52, 30.8%), arm/hand tendonitis (8/52, 15.4%), carpal tunnel (7/52, 13.5%), back pain (4/52, 7.7%) and arm/hand arthritis (1/52, 1.9%). Women were significantly more likely to report a musculoskeletal problem than men (p = .011) with the odds of women reporting a musculoskeletal injury 2.59 times greater than men. Women and surgeons with smaller glove sizes were significantly more likely to report shoulder tendonitis (p = .034, p = .1) and neck strain (p = .009, p = .001). Respondents with a musculoskeletal problem experienced significantly more difficulty using rotating cup biopsy forceps (p < .001) and perceived this as difficult a greater amount of time (p = .006).

CONCLUSION

Female surgeons report more musculoskeletal injuries than their male counterparts. Surgeons with musculoskeletal injuries experience more difficulty performing particular laparoscopic maneuvers.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Improving ergonomics for women and surgeons with smaller glove sizes must be prioritized to improve surgeon health and laparoscopic instrument use.

Variables affecting surgeons' use of, and preferences for, instrumentation in veterinary laparoscopy

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of variables on use and preference of common laparoscopic instruments.

STUDY DESIGN

Online survey.

SAMPLE POPULATION

Surgeons (n = 140) with 3 years or more laparoscopic experience.

METHODS

Electronic survey distributed via specialty group LISTSERVEs and Facebook groups. Responses collected included surgeon attributes, preferences, and surgical practice data. Statistical analysis was performed using Fishers exact, ANOVA, Tukey Kramer honestly significant difference (HSD) test, linear regression, and logistic regression.

RESULTS

Ninety-eight of 140 respondents answered instrument-related questions and the completion rate of these questions was 76%: 48% of females and 49% of males responded to the survey. The median glove size of respondents was size 7 (range, 5.5 to 8.5). Closing laparoscopic Babcock forceps (p = .018), rotating cup biopsy forceps (p = .003), and manipulating endoscopic staplers (p < .001) were more difficult for surgeons with smaller glove sizes. The median difficulty score for the endoscopic stapler was 4/10 and the median percentage of time this was found difficult was 25%. Reusable instruments were preferred over disposable single-use instruments. The pistol grip was preferred for grasping and retracting (54/98, 55%) and fine dissection (46/96, 48%), while the axial grip was preferred for suturing and knot tying (61/98, 62%).

CONCLUSION

Surgeons with smaller glove sizes (<6.5) experience more difficulty when using common laparoscopic instruments. The endoscopic stapler was the most difficult to use.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

When purchasing laparoscopic instrumentation, surgeons should review all available options in handle size and design to improve ergonomics during minimally invasive procedures.

Standing surgery among equine board certified surgeons: Survey regarding current use and trends

BACKGROUND

Publications about equine standing surgery are flourishing, however, information regarding its use and prevalence among surgeons is still limited.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the current use and recent trends for equine standing surgery among board certified surgeons and to identify the main reasons and limitations for performing a procedure standing.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

A 139-item questionnaire was sent by email to 733 large animal surgery Diplomates (ACVS and ECVS) from November 2020 to February 2021. The survey collected demographic information and general data regarding standing surgery before being divided into seven identical sections for each body system, involving 36 standing procedures.

RESULTS

The survey response rate was 29.7% (218/733). Most respondents (58.9%, 126/214) had performed standing surgery for <10 years regardless of length of time they were board certified (48.2% board certified <10 years and 51.8% >10 years). Most respondents (range: 50.0%-92.9%, mean 69.5%) changed from performing 14/36 surgeries under general anaesthesia (GA) to standing within the previous 10 years and had always performed 8/36 surgeries standing (51.6%-73.9%, mean 61.4%) regardless of board certification time. Surgeons board certified <10 years ago performed more often 3/36 listed procedures standing than those board certified >10 years ago (p < 0.05). Avoiding GA (179/218) and/or reducing procedure cost (111/218) were the two main reasons to perform standing surgeries whereas the horse's behaviour (183/218) and/or the patient size/age (94/218) were the two main limiting factors.

MAIN LIMITATIONS

Low response rate. Results biased towards the opinion of a subgroup of surgeons, those performing standing surgery. Some standing procedures were not included in the survey.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of standing surgery is well established among board certified surgeons and progressively increasing, especially in the last 10 years and among recent Diplomates. With increased training and awareness, more Diplomates may be encouraged towards performing standing surgeries.

Veterinarian burnout demographics and organizational impacts: a narrative review

Burnout is a work-related syndrome of physical and emotional exhaustion secondary to prolonged, unresolvable occupational stress. Individuals of different demographic cohorts may have disparate experiences of workplace stressors and burnout impacts. Healthcare organizations are adversely affected by burnt out workers through decreased productivity, low morale, suboptimal teamwork, and potential impacts on the quality of patient care. In this second of two companion reviews, the demographics of veterinary burnout and the impacts of burnout on affected individuals and work environments are summarized, before discussing mitigation concepts and their extrapolation for targeted strategies within the veterinary workplace and profession.

Training Surgical Residents Utilizing an Animal Shelter Fracture Program

Working relationships between veterinary medical teaching hospitals, animal shelters, and rescue groups are one way to increase veterinary students' and residents' hands-on training. The goal of this study is to describe the use of a shelter fracture program to improve the surgical skills of surgical residents. In this program, the participating shelter and rescue organizations electronically submit cases. Following evaluation of radiographs and case approval by the orthopedic faculty, the case is scheduled for a physical evaluation. A resident takes primary surgical care together with a fourth-year student rotating through the orthopedic surgery service to ensure the proper pre-, peri-, and post-operative standard of care. All care is overseen by the orthopedic faculty. A veterinary student-run fracture foster program allows students to gain additional experience in the pre-, peri-, and post-operative care of shelter animals. The total number of shelter animals treated during a 9-year period was 373, with a mean annual case load of 41.1 cases (± 10.3). During the same time period, a total of 435 client-owned cases underwent surgical fracture treatment, with a mean annual case load of 48 cases (± 11.7). Surgical resident and student surveys show that this program contributes to their knowledge, skills, and confidence in treating fracture patients. A successful cooperative program provides advanced surgical fracture treatment of shelter animals, improving animals' quality of life as well as surgical residents' and veterinary students' skills training.

Brief Communication: Predictive Value of Veterinary Student Application Data for Performance in Clinical Year 4

Student application packages for admission to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine currently include the following information: undergraduate grade point average (GPA), GPA in science courses, GPA in non-science courses, GPA for the last 45 hours (GPALast45hrs), Graduate Record Examination Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning (GRE-QV) score, GRE Analytical Writing (GRE-AW) score, and grades for 10 required prerequisite courses. From these data, an academics score of up to 70 points is calculated. Faculty reviewers also score each applicant up to a maximum of 30 points (FileScore), giving a total possible score of 100 points. Previous analyses demonstrated that the file score and academic variables are significantly related to first-year GPA of veterinary students; however, it is unknown how these variables relate to performance in clinical rotations. The present study pooled the two most recent graduating classes to compare each academic score component to student clinical rotation grades received during year 4 (CGrYr4) in the teaching hospital. Only one component of the student application packages-the pre-admission GRE-QV score-significantly correlated with CGrYr4.

The gender wage gap in the French veterinary labor market

Among the most important recent changes in the veterinary profession is the increasing percentage of women. Understanding trends driving the veterinary labor market is important to enable leaders in the veterinary profession and policy makers to plot strategic actions that will improve the profession. The objective of this paper was to estimate the gender pay gap in the veterinary labor market. We analyzed data from an anonymous online survey conducted in France in 2021 by the veterinary practitioner union. We assessed the gender gap pay using two regression approaches, ordinary least squares method and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition, while controlling for all other variables (ceteris paribus). We provided evidence that male veterinarians earned wages approximately 9.3% higher (controlling for all other variables). This difference represented the "unexplained variance" that may be due to gender discrimination or unobserved characteristics.

Stress and strain among veterinarians: a scoping review

The aim of this review is to systematically review studies on work-related stress that may affect the mental health of veterinarians. Studies have indicated a high prevalence of various risk factors for mental disorders among practicing veterinarians. In addition to a high risk of suicide, there is increasing evidence of burnout and depression. A scoping review was conducted using the PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubPsych and PSYNDEX databases. Twenty-one studies (plus seven studies with nonstandardized questionnaires) published between 2000 and 2021 were found that presented data on the effect of workload on the mental wellbeing of veterinarians. All of the included studies indicate a high prevalence of psychological stressors in veterinary practice. The risks of burnout, anxiety and depressive disorders are higher in this occupational group than in the general population and other occupational groups. Subjectively, female veterinarians perceive their psychological workload to be higher than that of their male counterparts. Working hours and ethical dilemmas stand out as major sources of stress. There is a need to improve overall psychological wellbeing of veterinarians. Organizational support services and developing personal strategies for coping with work-related stress can prove helpful.

The Influence of Messaging on Perceptions of Careers in Veterinary Medicine: Do Gender Stereotypes Matter?

The veterinary medical workforce is increasingly female; occupational feminization often transfers stereotypes associated with the predominant gender onto the profession. It is unknown whether within veterinary medicine a feminized public image is a possible contributor to the reduction in male applicants to training programs. The influence of stereotypically gendered messaging on how male and female undergraduate students perceive veterinary medicine was investigated in 482 undergraduate students enrolled in five introductory or second-level biology courses. Two short videos introducing the field of veterinary medicine were developed with imagery and language selected to emphasize either stereotypic feminine (communal) or masculine (agentic) aspects of the field. Participant groups were randomly assigned one of the two videos (feminine/communal or masculine/agentic) or no video (no exposure). An outcome survey elicited impressions of the field of veterinary medicine and gathered demographic data. There was a significant linear trend of condition on perception of the profession as feminine or masculine and on perception of the activities of a veterinarian as feminine/communal or masculine/agentic. Female participants were significantly more likely to agree that someone of their gender would be valued in the profession. Male participants reported significantly higher self-efficacy scores for performing the tasks of a veterinarian when they viewed the feminine stereotype video. These results demonstrate that gendered perceptions of the field can be manipulated. Intentional gendered messaging should be further explored as one strategy to broaden the talent pool in the workforce by attracting men back to the field.

Comparison of resident and intern salaries with the current living wage as a quantitative estimate of financial strain among postgraduate veterinary trainees

OBJECTIVE

To compare resident and intern salaries with current regional living wages as a quantitative estimate of financial strain.

SAMPLE

152 residency programs and 141 internship programs listed with the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program for the 2021-2022 training year.

PROCEDURES

Data were collected for program annual salary and location. Regional living wage for each location was determined with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage Calculator, and annual salary was compared with living wage to estimate income surplus before and after taxes. Results for programs in academia and private practice were compared. Spearman correlation was used to determine whether program annual salary was significantly associated with regional living wage.

RESULTS

Mean ± SD income surplus before taxes was $7,786 ± 9,426 for clinical residency programs, $16,672 ± 5,105 for laboratory animal programs, and $5,829 ± 8,119 for internships. Academic residencies and internships offered salaries significantly lower than those offered in private practice, and income surpluses before and after taxes were significantly lower for academic programs than for private practice programs. There were weak and moderate, respectively, correlations between program annual salary and regional living wage for residency (r = 0.369) and internship (r = 0.570) programs.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Postgraduate training prolongs financial instability, and annual salaries generally do not meet the minimum income standard of a living wage. Financial stress has implications for mental health and diversity, and these findings invite deeper consideration of current remuneration practices for veterinary residents and interns.

Effects of gender on income and family planning for diplomates of the American College of Zoological Medicine

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate income and family planning decisions of American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM) diplomates.

SAMPLE

98 ACZM diplomates.

PROCEDURES

An online survey was sent to 201 ACZM diplomates. Participation was voluntary.

RESULTS

98 (49%) diplomates responded to the survey. The most commonly reported income categories were $90,000 to $94,999, $100,000 to $104,999, and $110,000 to $114,999. Overall, the mean of the salary-category midpoint responses was $105,357 but was $122,917 for those in academia and $94,508 for those working in zoos and aquaria. When incomes of males and females were matched (24 pairs matched for gender and age), no difference in income was observed. There were no significant differences in income between males and females with and without children. Diplomates who did not complete a residency had significantly higher incomes than diplomates who did. Sixteen of 21 (76%) females and 9 of 19 (47%) males reported delaying having children because of their career. Additionally, a higher percentage of females with children (13/20 [65%]) than males with children (3/19 [16%]) felt that having children had had a negative effect on their career. Thirty-five of 41 (85%) females without children and 4 of 9 (44%) males without children thought having children would have negatively affected their careers.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Although substantial differences in income between female and male ACZM diplomates were not identified, differences in family planning and perceptions of the impact of having children on their careers did exist.

Pet-owner perceptions of laparoscopy in an urban hybrid veterinary practice

OBJECTIVE

To investigate owner perceptions of laparoscopic surgery, including attitudes towards paying more for minimally invasive surgery (MIS).

STUDY DESIGN

Randomized cross-sectional prospective survey.

SAMPLE POPULATION

One hundred owners presenting at a combined general and specialty practice.

METHODS

Participants were interviewed using a survey tool to assess prior knowledge of laparoscopic procedures, attitude for or against these procedures, reasons for this attitude, and whether they would pay more for these procedures. Demographic data were collected.

RESULTS

Fifty-five percent of owners had previous knowledge of laparoscopy. Ninety-two percent of owners would choose laparoscopy over an open procedure for their pet. Reasons given for preferring laparoscopy: less postoperative pain (66.3%), shorter length of hospitalization (26.1%), better cosmesis (20.1%), perception of lower cost (15.2%), faster return to function (14.1%), length of anesthesia (5.4%), and other reasons (26.1%). Ninety-one percent of owners were willing to pay more for MIS. Among owners who indicated they would be willing to pay more, owners presenting with dogs were 2.5 times more likely to be willing to pay at least $1000 more than owners presenting with cats.

CONCLUSION

The majority of owners surveyed at a large hybrid hospital in an urban setting choose laparoscopic over open procedures and are willing to pay more for them.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The results highlight the importance of client and veterinarian education regarding the options of MIS for pets, as owners who are informed may prefer referral for these procedures. The financial investment to build a MIS practice may be justified.

The Mentor-Mentee Relationship, Addressing Challenges in Veterinary Medicine Together

This article provides a summary of the current veterinary and medical literature concerning mentor-mentee relationships. In particular, the authors discuss how mentorship may be expanded and improved to address current challenges faced by the veterinary profession. They consider both the positive effects of mentorship on retention and recruitment, mental well-being, and competency, as well as the potential negatives or downsides of mentorship. Although rigorous, controlled studies are rare, the available evidence indicates that mentorship may be a key method to restore career satisfaction in veterinary medicine. Further studies are needed as well as monitoring programs.

Occupational segregation by gender in veterinary specialties: Who we are choosing, or who is choosing us

OBJECTIVE

Gender demographics vary across specialties including surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, and oncology. Our objective was to determine whether residency selection or the decision to apply for training drives these differences.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SAMPLE POPULATION

Matched and unmatched residents lists from Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP) from 2011 to 2020. Comparative Data Reports from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges from 2010 to 2019.

METHODS

Names for matched and unmatched residents with addresses in the United States or Canada were coded for gender for seven programs: large and small animal surgery, large and small animal medicine, cardiology, neurology, and oncology. Match rate by gender was compared using chi-square tests. Gender demographics of applicants were compared to demographics of graduates using tests of two proportions.

RESULTS

No differences were observed between genders for the likelihood of successfully matching into each residency program evaluated except in large animal internal medicine. Women (44.2%) were slightly more likely to match, overall, than men (39.0%, p = .003). The proportions of women applying for residencies overall (70.7%), in large and small animal surgery (66.1%, 62.2%), cardiology (70.2%), and neurology (70.7%) were lower than the proportion of female graduates (79%; p's < .001).

CONCLUSION

No evidence for gender bias was detected in the VIRMP resident selection process. Female veterinary graduates seemed less likely to apply for residencies than their male counterparts.

IMPACT

Occupational segregation seems to stem from the decision to apply for residency. Interventions aimed at altering gender demographics in specialized medicine should target potential applicants.

The role of experience, specialty certification, and practice ownership in the gender wage gap for veterinarians in the United States

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of various factors in the wage gap between male and female veterinarians in the United States in 2016 and 2017.

SAMPLE

2,760 veterinarians across the United States.

PROCEDURES

Data from the Census of Veterinarians Survey administered by the AVMA Economics Division in 2016 and 2017 were analyzed. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov 2-sample test was used to determine whether a difference existed between male and female income distributions at various levels of experience. Quantile regression was performed separately for male and female respondents to determine the direct effects of individual factors on incomes and compare the effects of practice ownership versus nonownership on income.

RESULTS

Income distributions of men and women were unequal at lower experience ranges but equal at higher experience ranges. Income increased for men with each additional year of experience and with practice ownership. For women, practice owners in the lowest income quantile had a negative return to income; overall, their income benefited most from ownership in the form of partnerships. For certain groups, incomes of both genders were lower when they had absences from the workforce.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Findings suggested that the largest source of gender income disparity for veterinarians was attributable to female practice owners earning less than their male counterparts. Indeed, women earned more from specialty certifications than from owning a clinic. To decrease income disparities between genders, ways should be identified to support women-owned practices and promote equal pay.

Work, life, and the gender effect: Perspectives of ACVIM Diplomates in 2017. Part 2-The intersection of personal life and professional career

BACKGROUND

In the field of veterinary surgery, women neither marry nor have children at the same rate as men, and those who do may experience more career disruption as a result. The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) is 1 of the few areas of specialized medicine that is predominantly female; it is unknown if such a demographic shift would produce a different environment for individuals cultivating their personal life.

HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES

To report data regarding subjective and objective aspects of the intersection of the personal and professional lives of Diplomates of the ACVIM.

SAMPLE

Eight hundred ninety-six surveys (781 completed) of ACVIM Diplomates, including cardiology, large and small animal internal medicine, neurology, and oncology.

METHODS

An 82-item online survey was distributed to ACVIM Diplomates via Diplomate college listservs. Participation was voluntary.

RESULTS

Men were more likely to be married and have children than were women. Women had or adopted their first child at a later career stage compared with men, and agreed more strongly that career stage was an influential factor in family planning. Those with children worked fewer hours compared with those without, and this effect was greater among women. Women were more likely to require external childcare, but most men and women shared childcare responsibilities equally outside of working hours.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

The intersection of personal and professional life differs between men and women in the ACVIM, which may create different needs, preferences, or barriers to work-life balance in the workforce.

Work, life, and the gender effect: Perspectives of ACVIM Diplomates in 2017. Part 1-Specialty demographics and measures of professional achievement

BACKGROUND

Barriers to achieving work-life balance, as well as gender-based differences, exist in the male-dominated surgical specialty in veterinary medicine. Similar information does not exist for the more feminized American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM).

HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES

To provide data on the professional and personal lives of Diplomates of the ACVIM so as to help define the state of the specialty, including gender-related differences, and identify areas requiring intervention to improve work-life balance.

SAMPLE

A total of 896 surveys (781 completed) of Diplomates of the ACVIM, including cardiology, large animal internal medicine, neurology, oncology, and small animal internal medicine.

METHODS

An 82-item online survey was distributed in February 2017 to ACVIM Diplomates via their respective ACVIM listserv. Participation was voluntary.

RESULTS

Thirty percent of the total ACVIM registered membership responded and 26% completed surveys; 25% were men and 75% were women. Specialists in academia worked significantly more hours, with larger numbers of diplomates per specialty section, and made less money compared with those in private practice. Women were less likely to report full-time employment, practice ownership, or higher academic rank, and reported 20% lower income overall (after adjustment for relevant factors) as compared with men. Men and women differed in their subjective assessment of the effect of gender in the workplace. Eighty-three percent of respondents were somewhat satisfied or better with their career.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

Specialization in the ACVIM is a satisfying and potentially profitable career. However, despite a highly feminized workforce, significant gender-related imbalances are evident.

Predictive Value of Veterinary Student Application Data for Class Rank at End of Year 1

Student applications for admission to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine include the following information: undergraduate grade point average (GPA), GPA in science courses (GPAScience), GPA for the last 45 credit hours (GPALast45hrs), results for the Graduate Record Examination Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning Measures (GRE-QV), results for the GRE Analytical Writing Measure (GRE-AW), and grades received for 10 required prerequisite courses. In addition, three faculty members independently review and score subjective information in applicants’ files (FileScore). The admissions committee determines a composite Admission Score (AdmScore), which is based on GPA, GPAScience, GPALast45hrs, GRE-QV, GRE-AW, and the FileScore. The AdmScore is generally perceived to be a good predictor of class rank at the end of year 1 (CREY1). However, this has not been verified, nor has it been determined which components of the AdmScore have the strongest correlation with CREY1. The present study therefore compared each component of the AdmScore for correlation with CREY1, for the three classes admitted in 2015, 2016 and 2017 (Class15, Class16, Class17). Results suggest that only a few components of the application file are needed to make strong predictive statements about the academic success of veterinary students during the first year of the curriculum.

Gender differences in academic rank among faculty surgeons at US veterinary schools in 2019

OBJECTIVE

To describe academic rank, gender, surgical career length, and publication record of academic veterinary surgeons and to estimate the association between gender and higher academic rank.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SAMPLE

Residency-trained surgeons at US veterinary schools in 2019.

METHODS

Surgeons were identified via institutional websites. Data including surgeon gender, academic title, and year of board certification were collected from public resources. Publication record was measured by using author h-indices obtained from Scopus. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS

Three hundred eighteen surgeons were identified from 30 institutions, including 162 (51%) women and 156 (49%) men. Women represented 66% of instructors and assistant professors, and men represented 60% of associate and full professors. This distribution differed significantly (P < .001). Author h-index was associated with career length but not gender. Men were 2.5 times more likely than women to be associate or full professors (odds ratio 2.52, 95% CI 1.03-6.14, P = .042) after adjustment for career length and h-index.

CONCLUSION

Female surgery faculty at US veterinary schools in 2019 were concentrated in lower academic ranks and were less likely than male surgery faculty to be associate or full professors after adjustment for career length and publication record.

IMPACT

A gender gap exists in academic veterinary surgery in the United States. It is critical to recognize that women's increasing participation in veterinary medicine has not been matched by equal representation in all areas. Additional efforts are warranted to identify contributing factors and implement strategies to improve gender inclusion.

Perceptions of Maternal Discrimination and Pregnancy/Postpartum Experiences Among Veterinary Mothers

Objective: To describe perceptions of maternal discrimination and to begin to understand patterns around timing of starting families, infertility, and post-partum depression among veterinary mothers. Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions posted to a social media platform "Moms with a DVM." Sample: 1,082 veterinary mothers in the United States. Procedures: An online questionnaire was administered regarding perceived discrimination, inequities in the work-place due to pregnant or maternal status, desired accommodations, timing of pregnancy(ies), fertility issues, and postpartum experiences. Results: At least one form of perceived discrimination was reported by 819 (75.7%) respondents (M = 2.6, SD = 2.1, range 0-10). Specifically, 789 (72.9%) reported maternal discrimination. Over half of the sample (n = 632, 58.4%) reported at least one instance of perceived inequity in the workplace due to status as a mother (M = 1.23, SD = 1.4, range 0-5). A majority (906, 83.7%) reported that their career had "definitely" or "maybe" affected the timing of their children. One hundred eighty-nine respondents (17.5%) experienced at least one miscarriage, and 192 (17.6%) used fertility treatment due to difficulty conceiving. Postpartum depression was diagnosed in 181 respondents (16.7%), and 353 (32.6%) reported symptoms consistent with postpartum depression but did not seek medical care. Of 953 participants who needed accommodations for breastfeeding and/or pumping while at work, 130 (13.6%) reported excellent accommodations, 454 (47.6%) adequate, 258 (27.1%) inadequate, and 111 (11.6%) had no accommodations provided. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Participants reported experiences of perceived maternal discrimination, as well as inequities and lack of support services due to status as a mother. These results highlight the need for attention and changes to ensure veterinarians have supportive and sustainable career options.

The intersection of personal and professional lives for male and female diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2015

OBJECTIVE

To characterize objective and subjective elements of the personal lives of American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) diplomates and identify elements of personal life associated with professional life or career success.

SAMPLE

836 ACVS diplomates.

PROCEDURES

An 81-item questionnaire was sent to 1,450 diplomates in 2015 via email and conducted by means of an online platform. Responses were analyzed to summarize trends and identify associations among selected variables.

RESULTS

Men were more likely than women to be married or in a domestic partnership (88% vs 68%, respectively) and to have children (77% vs 47%). Among women but not men, respondents in large animal practice were less likely than were those in small animal practice to be represented in these categories. Women had children later in their career than did men and indicated that their stage of training played an important role in family planning. Respondents with children worked significantly fewer hours than did those without children, with a greater reduction in hours for women versus men (6.0 vs 3.1 hours, respectively). Women were more likely to require external childcare services than were men. Women were more likely to report that having children had negatively impacted their professional lives. No negative associations between measures of professional success (eg, advancement or personal income) and parenthood were identified.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Family demographics differed between male and female ACVS diplomates, yet no objective impact on career success was identified. Work-life balance may play an important role in recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction of veterinary surgeons.