Becker's Spine Review

5 SPINE Where are the women in orthopedics? By Riz Hatton T he orthopedic industry is ever-changing, with new robots and surgical techniques seemingly always around the corner. But one aspect of this vibrant industry hasn't changed much since its conception — the lack of women in the operating rooms. Orthopedics has the least amount of female physicians when compared to other specialties, with just 10 percent of women making up the orthopedic workforce, according to Medscape's "Physician Compensation Report 2023," and that number shrinks when examining the number of women of color in the field. Five orthopedic surgeons from the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, a networking organization for female orthopedic surgeons, connected with Becker's to discuss why there are so few women in orthopedics. So why are there so few female orthopedic surgeons? "It's definitely multifactorial," Mary Mulcahey, MD, division director of sports medicine at Loyola Medicine in Maywood, Ill., told Becker's. "Some of the many factors that contribute [to the lack of women in the field] are the low number of role models, the low number of women that are practicing [orthopedics] now and the [lack of ] women that are in senior leadership roles that medical students and residents are seeing. By having so few women in those roles, some medical students don't even necessarily think about it or think that they can ultimately pursue that career because they don't see someone who looks like them." In addition to scarce representation, a lack of exposure to orthopedics as a career option is another barrier that keeps women out of the field. Dr. Mulcahey said that the majority of male students who pursue orthopedics go into medical school already knowing they want to go into the specialty. However, for female medical students, the decision to go into orthopedics is typically made during medical school. Dr. Mulcahey said that early exposure, even at a college and high school level, to orthopedics is critical. Christen Russo, MD, president of the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, told Becker's, "In the past, maybe 30 to 40 years ago, more men were exposed to orthopedic surgery because they played more sports and they possibly had someone in their family that was an orthopedic surgeon and that person was probably a man. ey just knew the field existed." Dr. Russo said that over the past 20 years, there has been an increased focus on trying to increase the pool of competitive female orthopedic surgeon applicants by introducing them to the field early through pipeline programs such as the Perry Initiative, RJOS, mentoring workshops and webinars. e perception that orthopedic surgeons must have an exceptionally strong and large physique may also hold women back from joining the field. Who is the best spine surgeon in the US? ChatGPT answers By Carly Behm C hatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot from OpenAI, has become popular for its practical and entertaining applications. On April 18, Becker's posed the question, "Who is the best spine surgeon in the United States?" ChatGPT didn't give a definitive answer. Instead, it said its limited knowledge base held it back from providing a name. "As an Al language model, I do not have access to real-time data and my knowledge is based on a cutoff date in 2021," the bot said. "Therefore, I am unable to provide you with the current information on who the best spine surgeon in the United States is, as this information may change over time and is subjective. However, there are numerous highly skilled and experienced spine surgeons across the United States who are recognized for their expertise in the field of spinal surgery. It is important to conduct thorough research, seek recommendations from trusted healthcare professionals, review patient testimonials and consider factors such as credentials, experience and patient outcomes when determining the best spine surgeon for your specific needs. It is also essential to consult with multiple healthcare providers to receive a well-rounded opinion and make an informed decision about your medical care." Becker's then asked the chatbot, "Who are the top five spine surgeons in the United States?" with the hopes names would be listed for this article. While ChatGPT didn't give a ranked list, it did provide the names of five spine surgeons who "are known for their expertise in the field." ChatGPT is still fallible, and not all surgeons it named work in the United States. They are: Frank Schwab, MD. Northwell Health (New York City) Christopher Ames, MD. UCSF Health (San Francisco) Keith Bridwell, MD. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Alex Vaccaro, MD, PhD. Rothman Orthopaedic Institute (Philadelphia) Michael Fehlings, MD, PhD. Toronto Western Hospital n

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