Abstract
ObjectivesTo examine how ‘gendered ways of thinking’ relate to role models in medical education. MethodsThis study employed an explorative, qualitative, and cross-sectional design. A total of 57 interviews were held with medical students (28 interviews) and with faculty members (29 interviews) at a Swedish medical school. Participants were asked to describe their role models and the attributes that made certain individuals role models. Data were analysed using an inductive approach in three separate steps that explored the relationship between role models and gender. ResultsMales do not generally consider female doctors as role models, and male role models are generally viewed as more admirable than female role models. This was shown in all steps of the analysis and most prominently in how male role models were described as qualitatively more admirable than female role models. Male role models are thus more common (for male and female students) and described as more admirable. The results point to the persistence of ‘gendered ways of thinking’ that subtly shape medical students. ConclusionsGendering role models is disadvantageous to female doctors in several ways, so the results have implications for women’s career paths and opportunities. The results can thus form a basis for discussing and teaching the importance of gender in role modelling and in medical education in general.
Highlights
The present article investigates how role models in medical education relate to gender
This study aimed to explore the relationship between role models and gender in medical schools, and three main findings were identified
If role modelling is gendered, as the results of the present study suggest, severe implications exist on what kind of professionalism this process develops
Summary
The present article investigates how role models in medical education relate to gender. Previous research focused on how role-modelling works and how role models can be used in teaching medicine.[10,11,12]
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