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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Academic Ophthalmology 2021; 13(02): e264-e269
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1740064
Research Article

Comparison between Medical Student Educators and Program Directors in 2010 and 2019

Prithvi S. Sankar 
1   Scheie Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
,
JoAnn A. Giaconi
2   Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
,
Anju Goyal
3   Kresge Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
,
Emily G. Graubart
4   Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
,
Pavlina S. Kemp
5   Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa
,
Daniel W. Knoch
6   Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin
,
Jamie B. Rosenberg
7   Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Montefiore Medical Center / Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
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Abstract

Objective Over the last decade, prominence of the Directors of Medical Student Education in Ophthalmology (DMSEs) within the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) has increased. With increased recognition of this important leadership position, an examination of the trending demographic differences between DMSEs and the Ophthalmology Program Directors (PDs) may be helpful, especially in regard to the potential for academic promotion from each track.

Design Present study is a database study.

Methods The AUPO directory was used to ascertain the DMSE and the PD members between 2010 and 2019. The demographic profile for each member was determined using publicly available resources. Chi-square analysis of the data was performed.

Main Outcome Measures Number of DMSE and PD AUPO from 2010 to 2019 in AUPO Directory, sex, geographic location, and graduation year were measured through this study.

Results There has been a steady increase in the number of DMSEs from 2010 to 2019, whereas the number of PDs have remained stable. The number of DMSEs have increased in all regions of the United States. The year of ophthalmology residency graduation was similar in the DMSE and PD cohorts in 2010 and 2019. The number of women have increased in the DMSEs in 2019 compared with 2010; the number of women who were PDs in 2019 were similar to 2010. Finally, more PDs in 2010 became Chairs in 2019, whereas no DMSEs in 2010 became Chair in 2019.

Conclusion There are a growing number of DMSEs, overall, with an increasing proportion of women in the 2019 DMSE group compared with 2010. In contrast, the overall number of PDs have remained stable, as has the proportion of female PDs in 2019 compared with 2010. DMSEs, compared with PDs, are less likely to become Chairs. The increased opportunity for academic leadership with the growing DMSE group may help change leadership patterns overall in academic ophthalmology.

Keywords

director medical student education - program director - academic promotion - women in medicine

Financial Disclosure

None.




Publication History

Received: 13 February 2021

Accepted: 19 August 2021

Article published online:
25 December 2021

© 2021. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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