Feramisco, JD; el at, JS A gender gap in the dermatology literature? Cross-sectional analysis of manuscript authorship trends in dermatology journals during 3 decades JOUR OF THE AM ACADEMY OF DERMA, 60 (1): 63-69 JAN 2009

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Address: resneckj at derm.ucsf.edu 

Author(s): Feramisco, JD (Feramisco, Jamison D.); Leitenberger, JJ 
(Leitenberger, Justin J.); Redfern, SI (Redfern, Shelley I.); Bian, AH 
(Bian, Aihua); Xie, XJ (Xie, Xian-Jin); Resneck, JS (Resneck, Jack S., 
Jr.) 

Title: A gender gap in the dermatology literature? Cross-sectional 
analysis of manuscript authorship trends in dermatology journals during 3 
decades 

Source: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY, 60 (1): 63-69 JAN 
2009 

Language: English 

Document Type: Article 

KeyWords Plus: ACADEMIC MEDICINE; FEMALE PHYSICIANS; WOMEN PHYSICIANS; 
UNITED-STATES; FACULTY; CAREER; ADVANCEMENT; PROMOTION; WORKFORCE; 
CHALLENGES 

Abstract: Background: Despite a dramatic influx of female dermatologists 
during the last 30 years, women in academic dermatology departments remain 
relatively clustered in junior faculty Positions. Research in other 
specialties showing a disparity in the academic productivity of women has 
led to many hypotheses regarding factors that may place them at a 
competitive disadvantage. It is unknown, however, whether similar 
differences in academic productivity might also serve as barriers to 
advancement in dermatology, or whether any productivity gap actually 
exists in this specialty that experienced a more Substantial entry of 
women.
Objective. Because publication in peer-reviewed journals is one of the 
core Measures of academic productivity used in the promotion process, we 
evaluated trends in the prevalence of female authorship in top dermatology 
journals during the last 3 decades.
Methods: We conducted an observational study of trends in the sex 
distribution of US authors in 3 prestigious general dermatology journals 
(in 1976, 1986, 1996, and 2006) and 3 subspecialty dermatology journals 
(in 2006 only). Journals were chosen based on published impact factors and 
citation half-lives.
Results: During the last 3 decades, the proportion of women authoring 
manuscripts in the 3 major general dermatology journals increased from 12% 
to 48% of US-affiliated first authors (P < .001) and from 6.2% to 31% of 
US-affiliated senior authors (P < .001). Separate analyses by journal and 
by article type showed similar increases. The prevalence of female authors 
in subspecialty journals in 2006 was slightly more variable.
Limitations: Although the publications selected for this study capture 
many of the most respected US journals in dermatology, they may not be 
representative of all journals in which dermatologists publish.
Conclusions: Female dermatologists are authoring publications in growing 
numbers that match or exceed their prevalence in the academic and overall 
workforce. This Suggests that other factors (differences in productivity 
outside of the publishing arena, differences in job descriptions Or 
Opportunities, differences in career aspirations, a lack of institutional 
support or flexibility, or gender bias) may be associated with the ongoing 
reduced advancement of women to senior academic dermatology ranks relative 
to their male colleagues, and further research is warranted to explore 
these possibilities. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2009;60:63-9.) 

Addresses: [Resneck, Jack S., Jr.] Univ Calif San Francisco, Sch Med, Dept 
Dermatol, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA; [Feramisco, Jamison D.; Redfern, 
Shelley I.] Univ Texas SW Med Ctr Dallas, Dept Internal Med, Dallas, TX 
75390 USA; [Leitenberger, Justin J.] Univ Texas SW Med Ctr Dallas, Dept 
Dermatol, Dallas, TX 75390 USA; [Bian, Aihua; Xie, Xian-Jin] Univ Texas SW 
Med Ctr Dallas, Dept Clin Sci, Dallas, TX 75390 USA; [Resneck, Jack S., 
Jr.] Univ Calif San Francisco, Sch Med, Inst Hlth Policy Studies, San 
Francisco, CA 94143 USA 

Reprint Address: Resneck, JS, Univ Calif San Francisco, Sch Med, Dept 
Dermatol, Box 0316, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA. 

E-mail Address: resneckj at derm.ucsf.edu 

Cited Reference Count: 37 

Times Cited: 0 

Publisher: MOSBY-ELSEVIER 

Publisher Address: 360 PARK AVENUE SOUTH, NEW YORK, NY 10010-1710 USA 

ISSN: 0190-9622 

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2008.06.044 

29-char Source Abbrev.: J AMER ACAD DERMATOL 

ISO Source Abbrev.: J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 

Source Item Page Count: 7 

Subject Category: Dermatology 

ISI Document Delivery No.: 391VG 

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