Community Pediatrics: Gender Differences in Perspectives of Residents

Minkovitz, Cynthia S.; Chandra, Anita; Solomon, Barry S.; McDonnell, Karen A.; Silver, Gillian B.; Tonniges, Thomas F.

doi:10.1016/j.ambp.2006.07.005

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Volume 6, Issue 6 , Pages 326-331, 1 November 2006

Community Pediatrics: Gender Differences in Perspectives of Residents

Presented in part at the Pediatric Academic Societies’ Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Md, May 6, 2003.

Cynthia S. Minkovitz, MD, MPP
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md
- Address correspondence to Cynthia Minkovitz, MD, MPP, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, E4636, Baltimore, MD 21205
Anita Chandra, DrPH
- RAND, Fairfax, Va
Barry S. Solomon, MD, MPH
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md
Karen A. McDonnell, PhD
- Maternal and Child Health Program, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Washington, DC
Gillian B. Silver, MPH
- Association of Schools of Public Health, Washington, DC
Thomas F. Tonniges, MD
- Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, Neb

Received 5 October 2004; accepted 29 July 2006.

Objective

The Future of Pediatric Education II Report affirmed the importance of providing resident education in community settings. Yet we know little about related experiences of trainees and whether experiences and perspectives regarding community involvement vary by gender. We assessed gender differences in pediatric residents’ involvement in and perspectives regarding community activities.

Methods

A national survey of US pediatric residents assessed residents’ involvement in 14 activities before medical school and the intensity and perceived importance of involvement in 17 activities during medical school and residency. Expected future involvement 10 years hence was assessed for 11 community settings. χ² and analysis of variance were used to examine bivariate relations by gender. Multivariate linear regression was used to model the relationship between gender and expected future involvement.

Results

Of the 700 respondents, 68% were women. Relative to men, more women reported exposure to child health advocacy and other community activities before and during medical school. Women and men reported similar involvement in residency, although women placed greater importance on inclusion of 16 of 17 community activities in their training. Female residents were more likely to report that current training in the community would influence their future career activities. Women anticipated greater future involvement in 6 of 11 settings. In adjusted analyses, gender remained associated with future involvement in 5 settings.

Conclusions

As women come to comprise an increasing proportion of the pediatric workforce, further efforts are needed to understand the impact of gender on future involvement in community child health activities.

Key words: community pediatrics, gender, residency training