Improving Sexual, Racial, and Ethnic Diversity in Orthopedics: An Imperative

Abstract

Orthopedics is the least diverse medical specialty. From residents to faculty, the representation of women and underrepresented minorities lags behind that of all other specialties. The crux of the disparity stems from the pipeline, as medical students who are female and are underrepresented minorities are simply not applying to orthopedic surgery. Grassroots efforts providing early exposure to orthopedics have led to a considerable proportion of alumnae pursuing science majors and eventually medical school. Institutions with a stated commitment to diversity have successfully produced residency classes with greater diversity. The culture should be one that combats biases, dispels misconceptions about orthopedics, and prioritizes recruiting/retaining diverse providers. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(3):e134-e140.].