Analysis of Race and Ethnicity Among United States Medical Board Leadership

Background: The inequitable representation of women and members of racial and ethnic minority groups in leadership positions within academic medicine is an ongoing challenge with practical and realistic solutions. The purpose of this study was to assess the race and ethnicity of individuals in leadership positions among the 24 Member Boards of Directors (Boards) of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the race and ethnicity patterns for individuals holding leadership positions among the 24 Boards of the ABMS as of March 1, 2022. Two independent coders with 100% concordance recorded race and ethnicity using online biographies and photographs. Percentages were compared to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) 2018 data reports.Results: Among 449 director positions, 415 (92.4%) were physicians. Within the physician subset, 12.3% (51/415) Asian, 8.2% (34/415) Black, and 3.4% (14/415) Hispanic individuals were identified. Women who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups have less representation than men of the same race. Of 24 Boards, 37.5% (9/24) had no Asian women, 50.0% (12/24) had no Black women, and 75.0% (18/24) had no Hispanic women. White physicians were overrepresented on 14 of 21 (66.7%) Boards compared to the proportion of active White physicians or White individuals in the United States general population.Conclusion: Disparities exist for members of racial and ethnic minority groups, particularly women from these groups. As a leader in academic medicine, the ABMS should ensure its Boards are diverse with respect to gender, race, and ethnicity. Diverse groups often contribute unique insights that support medical education, advance science, and improve clinical care.