The Cost of Being a Woman in Academic Cardiothoracic Surgery: Joint Collaboration of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Workforces on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Cardiothoracic Surgery Practice Models

This cross-sectional analysis of data from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Association of American Medical Colleges comparing cardiothoracic surgeon faculty demographics and salary between 2019 and 2021 indicates that women comprised 11.5 percent of the cardiothoracic workforce and earned, on average, $0.71 to $0.86 for every $1.00 earned by men. Ascending academic rank correlated with greater salary disparity. Between 2019 and 2021, women at associate professor, professor, and chief rank experienced a decrease in mean salary whereas men at the same rank experienced an increase in mean salary.