A Ten-year Review of Sex-based Representation at the Orthopaedic Trauma Association Annual Meeting

Abstract

Background: Although female representation at national orthopaedic society meetings has increased in recent years, women remain disproportionately more likely to deliver nontechnical presentations. Examining patterns in speaker roles provides a measurable way to assess progress toward equitable representation by sex in academic orthopaedic settings. Questions/purposes: This study aimed to (1) evaluate trends in female speaker representation at the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) Annual Meeting from 2014 to 2024 and (2) assess sex-based differences in speaker roles, including the likelihood of delivering technical versus nontechnical presentations. Patients and methods: Speaker names, session titles, and roles (speaker, moderator, or committee member) were extracted from OTA Annual Meeting programs spanning 2014 to 2024. Sessions were classified as technical or nontechnical, and speaker sex was determined through publicly available information. A total of 514 sessions were analyzed, including 390 technical and 124 nontechnical sessions. Trends in speaker roles by sex were assessed over time, and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to evaluate the likelihood of men versus women delivering technical presentations. Results: Female representation increased across all roles over the study period. The proportion of female speakers rose from 8.85% in 2014 to 22.22% in 2024, and the proportion of female moderators increased from 4.84% to 12.99%. Four women served as committee members since 2021, with one serving as cochair. Men were significantly more likely to give technical talks in 2024 (OR 2.8, 95% CI, 1.47-5.41, P = 0.0018) and 2021 (OR 3.0, 95% CI, 1.59-5.87, P = 0.0009). Conclusion: Female representation at the OTA Annual Meeting has increased substantially over the past decade, mirroring trends observed in other orthopaedic subspecialty societies. However, sex-based differences in the distribution of technical versus nontechnical presentations were observed in multiple years. Continued efforts are needed to promote equitable access to academic and leadership roles for women in orthopaedic trauma. Level of Evidence: Level III (retrospective observational study).