Higher Doximity Rankings are Associated with Increased Diversity Among Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Programs

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between rankings and diversity among orthopaedic surgery residency programs.

Methods: The American Orthopaedic Association’s Orthopaedic Residency Information Network (ORIN) database was used to extract data regarding percentages of Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM) attendings, female attendings, URiM residents, and female residents in April 2024. Programs were included in the analysis if they had full diversity data for the four categories of interest as well as Doximity reputation and research rankings. Rankings for research and reputations were extracted from Doximity in January 2024. Pearson correlation coefficients and associated p-values were calculated to determine the association between the four categories of interest and Doximity rankings. Significant findings were determined at a p-value < 0.05.

Results: Of the 218 orthopaedic surgery residency programs, 179 programs are listed on ORIN, and 122 had full diversity data for the four categories of interest. Percentage of female attendings had a significant, weak negative correlation on Doximity reputation and research rankings respectively (r=-0.27, p=0.003, r= -0.38, p=0.00001). Percentage of female residents had a significant, moderate negative correlations with not only Doximity reputation rankings (r=-0.54, p< 0.00001), but also research rankings (r=-0.48, p,0.00001). The percentage of URiM attendings had a significant, weak positive correlation with Doximity reputation rankings (r=0.25, p=0.005), but had an insignificant, very weak positive correlation on Doximity research ranking (r=0.14, p=0.11). Percent of URiM residents neither had a significant effect with Doximity reputation rank (r=0.13, p=0.15), or research rank (r=-0.04, p=0.69).

Conclusion : More prestigious orthopaedic surgery residency programs according to Doxmity reputation and research rankings had a larger percentage of female attendings and residents whereas lower ranked programs according to reputation had a larger percentage of URiM attendings. Programs at all levels of prestige need to adopt strategies to increase racial and gender diversity.