132 - Examining Annual Academic Expectations in a Pediatrics Department

Poster Number: 132
Publication Number: 132.217

Marissa L. Rice, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States; Gregory P. Conners, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NM, United States; JoAnne Race, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States; Ann S. Botash, Ann Botash/SUNY Upstate, Syracuse, NY, United States

Background: National trends indicate numbers of women in senior academic ranks and leadership positions have not made expected increases. Scholarly, research, and leadership activities are important considerations during the promotion process. Differential allocation of effort may explain gender or other disparities. At State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate, Annual Academic Expectations (AAEs) are created by faculty with their supervisor/chair to quantify effort allocated toward activities (service, teaching, and research) and reflect on alignment with future goals.

Objective: To examine effort allocations in key categories of AAEs among faculty in a Pediatrics Department by gender and academic rank.

Design/Methods: Paid faculty employed by Pediatrics at SUNY Upstate during two years, 2020 and 2021, were included. Following IRB exemption, AAEs submitted by faculty via online portal were aggregated. We defined junior faculty as instructors or assistant professors and senior faculty as associate or full professors. Data were analyzed using independent T-tests and ANOVA with an alpha of .05.

Results: In 2020, of 70 faculty, 41 were female, 3 women were full professors and 32% of women (n=13) were senior faculty. Of 29 male faculty, 59% (n=17) were senior faculty; 6 were full professors. An additional woman was promoted to full professor in 2021. Men held the majority of division director positions (9/13); women the majority of educational leadership positions (7/8). Two of three vice chairs were men. Women held two of three chair or decanal positions.

AAE analysis by gender showed women allocating more effort toward community service than men (3% vs 1%, p=.008). No other areas reached statistical significance.

In analyzing AAEs by rank, several significant differences emerged (Table 1). Professors allocated more effort to leadership and community service, and less effort to clinical service, than did junior faculty or associate professors. Professors also allocated more effort to research than junior faculty. There were no differences in teaching efforts.Conclusion(s): AAE gender analysis showed differences in effort allocated to community service. Professors devote more effort to research, leadership, and community service. The predominance of women in educational versus operational leadership roles needs further study. AAEs provide a novel source of data for assessment and review of potential disparities, which may be utilized to highlight areas for future effort allocation considerations.
Table 1. Annual Academic Expectation (AAE) allocations and academic rank