A Report of Salaries of Academic Cardiothoracic Surgeons Based on Race and Ethnicity

This study investigates racial and ethnic disparities in representation and salary among academic cardiothoracic surgeons in the United States. The authors analyzed data from the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) from 2021 and 2022. They noted that salary information was limited for groups with fewer than six surgeons. 
 
The findings revealed that out of 758 academic cardiothoracic surgeons, 64.9 percent were White, 25.2 percent were Asian, and underrepresented groups included 3.3 percent Black or African American, 4.9 percent Hispanic or Latino, and 1.7 percent from other ethnicities. Specifically, at the professor level, the demographics were even less diverse, with 74.6 percent White. 
 
Salary disparities were significant. Asian faculty earned between 89 percent to 171 percent, Black or African American faculty between 59 percent to 94 percent, and Hispanic or Latino faculty between 84 percent to 165 percent of the median salaries earned by White faculty. Notably, Black or African American faculty consistently received lower median salaries compared to their White counterparts across all academic ranks, with a statistically significant difference (P = .002). 
 
This study highlights the lack of diversity in the academic cardiothoracic surgery workforce, particularly in higher ranks, and underscores the complex nature of salary equity among different racial and ethnic groups. The persistent underrepresentation and salary disparities faced by Black or African American surgeons calls for further investigation and action to address these inequities in academic medicine.