Concerns for Gender-Based Discrimination in Surgical Fields Persist among Female Medical Students in the US

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: With increasing proportions of female medical students, we must reevaluate their perceptions of surgical training to ensure that we are fostering gender equality. We sought to evaluate potential protective factors for concerns regarding gender-based discrimination (GBD) in pursuing a surgical career. METHODS: A survey was designed and distributed to study the perceptions of female medical students interested in surgery regarding the pursuit of surgery as a career. Chi-squared tests were performed to determine whether selecting GBD as a concern had any association with characteristics that were hypothesized to be protective. RESULTS: 100 female students from 28 US medical schools responded. 64% of respondents expressed concern for GBD in pursuing a surgical career (Figure). Thirty-two percent had female surgeon role models, 42% had research mentors in surgery, 62% held a leadership position, 77% were a member of a surgical interest group, 29% had completed core surgical clerkship. Respectively, in these subgroups, 66%, 69%, 62%, 64%, and 75% were concerned about GBD. GBD concern was not found to be different when comparing those with these characteristics to those without (p values > 0.05).Figure.: Proportions of female medical students with concerns for gender-based discrimination in pursuit of surgical fields.CONCLUSION: Most female students have concerns about GBD in pursuing surgical fields. Having female role models or research mentors in surgery, leadership positions, membership of a surgical interest group, completing surgical clerkship were not associated with lower proportions of students expressing concerns about GBD in the pursuit of surgery as a career.