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The following is a summary of “Sex-Related Differences in Speaker Introductions at Ophthalmology Grand Rounds,” published in the November 2024 issue of Ophthalmology by Huang et al. 

Sex bias, often manifested in subtle linguistic cues, continues to be a significant issue in academic medicine, potentially influencing the perceptions of competence and contributing to workplace inequality.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to analyze the association between host sex, speaker sex, and speaker introduction practices in ophthalmology grand rounds events.  

They analyzed publicly accessible English-language ophthalmology grand rounds and teaching videos from US and Canadian academic institutions (January 2019 to June 2024), 2 independent reviewers assessed the videos. The primary outcome was the ratio of male and female speakers introduced with the host’s formal title, “Dr.”. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of male and female speakers introduced with their academic degrees, current academic appointments, awards or achievements, and research interests. The univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were adjusted for the speaker’s degree type(s), academic appointment, and affiliation using Stata v17.0.  

The results showed that out of 1,450 videos screened, 399 speaker introductions from 298 ophthalmology teaching sessions were analyzed. The formal title “Dr.” was used in 75.2% (n=300/399) of speaker introductions. Multivariable analysis revealed that female speakers were significantly less likely to be introduced with formal title (OR=0.55, 95%CI=0.25-0.78, P<.001), academic degrees (OR=0.61, 95%CI=0.35-0.97, P=.03), and awards or achievements (OR=0.62, 95%CI=0.35-0.95, P=.04) compared to male speakers. Interaction terms between speaker and host sex were significant for the use of formal titles (P=.03) and academic degrees (P=.04), leading to subgroup analyses by host sex. The findings were consistent with male hosts, where male speakers were introduced with formal titles, academic degrees, or awards/achievements. However, no difference was observed when female hosts introduced speakers. Female speakers were more likely to present on non-clinical topics compared to male speakers (OR=2.39, 95%CI=1.36-4.79, P<.001).   

Investigators concluded that female speakers were less likely to be addressed with formal titles when introduced by male hosts compared to male speakers, while no such disparity was observed when female hosts introduced speakers. A standardized approach to speaker introductions may help reduce gender bias in academic events. 

Source: ajo.com/article/S0002-9394(24)00522-1/fulltext