Practice patterns and work environments that influence gender inequality among academic surgeons

Abstract Background Practice pattern and work environment differences may impact career advancement opportunities and contribute to the gender gap within highly competitive surgical specialties. Methods Using a 2000–2015 New York statewide dataset, we compared board-certified pediatric surgeons by specialist case volume and Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), which quantifies surgeon focus within specialist case mix. Results 51 pediatric surgeons were analyzed for 461 surgeon-years. Female surgeons had lower case volume (159 cases/year versus 214, p  Conclusion The challenges that female surgeons face may be reflective of organizational inequities that necessitate intentional scrutiny and change.