The Status of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Plastic Surgery

Brooke E. Barrow, Ethan Y. Song, Pranav N. Haravu, Kaylyn Pogson-Morowitz, Ash Patel, Jeffrey R. Marcus.

The Status of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Plastic Surgery, Current Problems in Surgery, 2025.

Research Paper

This article talks about how diverse, fair, and welcoming the field of plastic surgery is. Plastic surgery is when doctors fix or improve parts of the body, like reconstructing a breast after cancer or doing cosmetic procedures like a nose job. The article looks at three main areas: patients, trainees (people learning to be surgeons), and the workforce (the doctors already working). It explains why having a diverse group of doctors is important and what challenges still exist.

Why Diversity Matters

Diversity means having people from different backgrounds, like different races, ethnicities, genders, or economic situations. Equity means making sure everyone gets fair treatment, and inclusion means making everyone feel welcome. In plastic surgery, having diverse doctors can help patients feel more comfortable and understood. For example, if a patient and doctor share the same background, the patient might trust them more, which can lead to better care. The article says studies show that when doctors are diverse, patients from minority groups often have better results.

Patients and Their Challenges

The article explains that not all patients have the same experience when getting plastic surgery. Some groups, like racial minorities or people with less money, face bigger obstacles. These include:

1. Knowing About Surgery: Some patients don’t even know plastic surgery is an option because ads and social media often show mostly white people, not minorities.

2. Getting Access to Care: People without good insurance or who are minorities might not be offered certain surgeries, like finger reattachment or breast reconstruction after cancer. Even when laws try to fix this, the gaps don’t always close.

   
   

3. Feeling Understood: Some patients, like Spanish speakers or transgender people, feel misunderstood because doctors might not know their language or use the wrong terms.

   
   

4. Results of Surgery: Patients from poorer areas or minority groups sometimes have more complications after surgery, like infections, or they don’t follow up with the doctor as often.

For example, Black patients might have more issues after breast reconstruction, and Hispanic patients sometimes travel abroad for cheaper cosmetic surgery but end up with more problems.

Trainees: The Future Doctors

Trainees are medical students or residents learning to become plastic surgeons. The article says plastic surgery is a tough field to get into, and not everyone has the same shot:

• Women: More women are becoming plastic surgeons than before. In 2021, more women than men got into plastic surgery training programs, which is a big change. But women still face issues like rude comments or unfair treatment.

  
  

• Minorities: People from underrepresented groups, like Black or Hispanic students, make up less than 10% of those applying to plastic surgery programs. This is partly because there aren’t enough minority mentors to guide them. Mentors are experienced doctors who help students succeed.

  
  

• New Ideas: To help, some programs now use virtual interviews to save money for applicants and a new application system to make things fairer. There are also mentorship programs, like one called PREPPED, that support minority students.

  
  

The Workforce: Current Surgeons

The article also looks at the doctors already working in plastic surgery:

• Who’s in Charge? Most plastic surgeons are white, and men hold most of the top jobs, like professors or leaders in hospitals. Women and minorities are less likely to get these big roles, especially women of color.

  
  

• Hiring and Training: Some leaders are trying to hire more diverse doctors and train them to understand different cultures. This can help patients feel better cared for. But the article says we don’t yet know if these trainings really improve patient health.

  
  

• Professional Groups: Groups like the American Society of Plastic Surgeons are working on diversity. They’ve created committees and programs to support women and minorities. For example, in 2023, a Black doctor became the president of this group for the first time.

What Can Be Done?

The article suggests ways to make plastic surgery more diverse and fair:

1. Choose Trainees Fairly: Programs should look at more than just test scores when picking students. They should value things like life experiences.

   
   

2. Support Mentorship: Programs like the Games Society can connect minority students with mentors who help them succeed.

   
   

3. Train for Understanding: Teach doctors to respect and understand patients from all backgrounds.

   
   

4. Promote Leaders: Make sure women and minorities have a chance to become leaders in hospitals or professional groups.

The Big Picture

The article says plastic surgery has made progress, especially with more women joining the field. But there’s still a long way to go to make sure everyone—patients, trainees, and doctors—feels included and treated fairly. By working on these challenges, plastic surgery can become better for everyone, leading to happier patients and a stronger field.