Diversity in the Adult and Pediatric Heart Transplant Surgeon Workforce between 2000 and 2020

There is a paucity of literature evaluating trends in the demographic composition of the cardiothoracic surgery workforce. Using the United Network for Organ Sharing database, we retrospectively analyzed the changes in sex, race, and ethnicity of surgeons performing heart transplantations between 2000-2020. Surgeons performing heart transplantations for adult (>= 18 years) and pediatric (<18 years) patients between 2000-2020 were identified and stratified by sex (male, female) and by race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic Asian, Hispanic of any race). Between 2000-2020, the proportion of non-White and female cardiothoracic surgeons performing adult and pediatric heart transplantations increased. Nevertheless, there remains a lack of diversity in the workforce, particularly when compared to the general United States population.

Automated summary

This study retrospectively analyzed the changes in sex, race, and ethnicity of surgeons performing heart transplantations between 2000-2020 using the United Network for Organ Sharing database. The results showed an increased proportion of non-White and female cardiothoracic surgeons performing heart transplantations during this period, but there remains a lack of diversity compared to the general United States population.