Community pediatrics: gender differences in perspectives of residents.
OBJECTIVE
The Future of Pediatric Education II Report affirmed the importance of providing resident education in community settings. Yet we know little about related experiences of trainees and whether experiences and perspectives regarding community involvement vary by gender. We assessed gender differences in pediatric residents' involvement in and perspectives regarding community activities.


METHODS
A national survey of US pediatric residents assessed residents' involvement in 14 activities before medical school and the intensity and perceived importance of involvement in 17 activities during medical school and residency. Expected future involvement 10 years hence was assessed for 11 community settings. chi2 and analysis of variance were used to examine bivariate relations by gender. Multivariate linear regression was used to model the relationship between gender and expected future involvement.


RESULTS
Of the 700 respondents, 68% were women. Relative to men, more women reported exposure to child health advocacy and other community activities before and during medical school. Women and men reported similar involvement in residency, although women placed greater importance on inclusion of 16 of 17 community activities in their training. Female residents were more likely to report that current training in the community would influence their future career activities. Women anticipated greater future involvement in 6 of 11 settings. In adjusted analyses, gender remained associated with future involvement in 5 settings.


CONCLUSIONS
As women come to comprise an increasing proportion of the pediatric workforce, further efforts are needed to understand the impact of gender on future involvement in community child health activities.
Minkovitz
Cynthia S
CS
Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. cminkovi@jhsph.edu
Chandra
Anita
A
Solomon
Barry S
BS
McDonnell
Karen A
KA
Silver
Gillian B
GB
Tonniges
Thomas F
TF
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003154:Community Medicine / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States