Fixing the System: Strategies to Support Women in Academic Medicine.

Abstract

"It feels like we are constantly treading water to just stay afloat and get by." (Female, Parent, Faculty, 6-10 years in practice)1 Gender disparities are well documented in academic medicine, including the representation of women in authorship, speaking opportunities, and other measures of academic productivity.2,3 Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this gender divide,4 which threatens women's career advancement and risks accelerating the attrition of women from academic medicine.5 Women faculty with children are particularly vulnerable and more likely than faculty without children to consider departing academic medicine.6 Although the societal view of women as caregivers is not new, the increased demands placed on caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic have been unprecedented. In this month's issue of Hospital Pediatrics, Sharp et al. describe a survey study revealing that women pediatricians who were parents were significantly more likely to report decreased academic productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to men with children.1 The authors' qualitative thematic analysis of free text responses provides further insight into key stress points for women physicians during the pandemic. While the focus of Sharp et al.'s survey was on childcare, the highlighted points of stress likely also apply to women in other caregiving roles, such as caring for elderly parents. The authors call for intentional change from institutions, grant funding agencies, medical societies, journals, and leaders to support all women in medicine. We review key strategies that each of these stakeholders can take to promote meaningful and sustainable change.