Sex disparities among PhD graduates in Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine in Brazil

Stéphanny Maria Meira; Maria Theresa Tavares de Souza; Fabrício Emanuel Soares de Oliveira; Daniella Reis Barbosa Martelli; Árlen Almeida Duarte de Sousa; Hercílio Martelli-Júnior

doi:10.5327/2525-5711.428

Authors

Stéphanny Maria Meira Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, State University of Montes Claros, UNIMONTES, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1651-0035
Maria Theresa Tavares de Souza Undergraduate Program in Dentistry, State University of Montes Claros, UNIMONTES, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2090-2844
Fabrício Emanuel Soares de Oliveira Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, State University of Montes Claros, UNIMONTES, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0164-1179
Daniella Reis Barbosa Martelli Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, State University of Montes Claros, UNIMONTES, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3979-7497
Árlen Almeida Duarte de Sousa Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, State University of Montes Claros, UNIMONTES, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7690-5282
Hercílio Martelli-Júnior Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, State University of Montes Claros, UNIMONTES, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5327/2525-5711.428

Keywords:

Oral Pathology, oral medicine, scientific output, Sex distribution

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the professional practice and scientific output of PhD graduates in Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine in Brazil, with an emphasis on sex disparities.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed 564 graduates who completed their PhDs up to 2021. Variables included sex, year of defense, number of articles published within three years, female participation as first and last author, state, institution, postgraduate program, area of concentration, program rating by CAPES, and type and place of professional activity (public and/or private). Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test, Pearson’s chi-square test, and paired Wilcoxon test.

Results: The sample showed a predominance of females (64.5%). No significant differences were observed between sexes regarding time to PhD completion (p = 0.176) or professional field (p = 0.239), with most graduates working in the private sector (61.5%). Training was mainly concentrated in the Southeast region (73.2%). Despite the greater female representation, men had higher mean numbers of scientific publications as first and last authors (p < 0.001), indicating disparities in academic output according to sex.

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