Characterization of the Training of the Female Academic Spinal Neurosurgical Workforce and Correlations with Academic Productivity

Introduction: The representation of female spinal neurosurgeons at academic centers has seen a marked increase over the past 15 years. This study aims to characterize the workforce of female spinal neurosurgeons at academic centers, focusing on training and academic productivity.

Methods: A demographic analysis was conducted to evaluate female neurosurgeons on faculty at ACGME-accredited residency programs. Data were collected in June 2024 from publicly available sources. Scopus h-Index and training information was gathered, and programs were contacted for verification. Variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics and comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA (p < 0.05).

Results: 216 female neurosurgeons affiliated with 26 residency programs were identified, of whom 33 (15.28%) subspecialize in spine surgery. Yale and Johns Hopkins trained the most female academic spinal neurosurgeons at the medical school level (3 each). For neurosurgical residency training, the University of North Carolina, University of Colorado, University of Toronto, Henry Ford Hospital, Barrow Neurological Institute, and Case Western Reserve University each trained 2 female spine surgeons. At the fellowship level, Johns Hopkins trained 5 current female spinal neurosurgeons, while Duke University and Cleveland Clinic each trained 3 current neurosurgeons. Among medical schools and residency programs that have trained at least two current female spine surgeons, the most academically productive medical school program was Pennsylvania State University (average h-Index of 0.93, normalized for time since program graduation), and the most productive residency program was Case Western Reserve University (2.14). No significant differences were observed.

Conclusion : Female academic spine surgeons train across the U.S., and, with the exception of Johns Hopkins’ neurosurgical spine surgery fellowship program, no single medical institution has trained more than 15% of this subset of the neurosurgical workforce. Additionally, examination of this cohort demonstrates that female spine surgeons are academically productive across the country and medical institutions.