Egbert LD, Rothman IL.
Relation between race and economic status of patients and who performs their surgery.
N Engl J Med 1977;297(2):90-1.

The authors evaluated the relation between race and economic status of surgical patients and their likelihood of being treated by a resident versus an attending physician over a period of two decades.

The data were obtained from computerized hospital records for patients undergoing a cholecystectomy or inguinal-hernia-repairs during the period from 1952 to 1972.

Results revealed that Blacks were 2.2 to 4.3 times more likely than whites to be cared for by a resident physician. The relationship held when the method of payment included self-payment or private insurance but did not exist when considering patients covered by Medicaid. Additionally, black patients seen in the emergency room were more likely than white patients to be cared for by resident physicians.