Peer mentoring of women physicians.

Abstract

To the Editor:—The need to advance women in academic medicine has been reported, with emphasis on the need for new structures and broader visions for mentoring.1 Surveys of women staff members at our tertiary-care academic medical institution agree with this assessment. Our institution has conducted staff satisfaction and work-life balance surveys for all physicians several times. Disparate results for male and female physicians in a 2003 survey led to a follow-up survey later that year of 68 women physicians. Fifty-eight (85%) responded. This second survey addressed underlying causes of dissatisfaction, including work versus home demands, clinical responsibilities versus academic aspirations, isolation at work, need for flexibility, partner-specific issues, and issues with division or departmental chair or work colleagues. Two major areas were identified as contributors to dissatisfaction among women physicians. Of all respondents, 93% identified work demands versus family demands as a major contributor (40% strong impact, 41% moderate to high, 12% moderate). Clinical practice demands adversely affected the academic aspirations of 84% (29% strong impact, 38% moderate to high, 16% moderate). A follow-up meeting in January 2004 was attended by 47 women physicians (about 69% of those on staff). Further information was gathered with an electronic audience response system. Most of the 47 attendees were in their 40s (one-third in their 30s). Seventy-six percent were married or in a committed relationship; 47% were married to another physician or professional. Seventy percent had children; of those, 40% had children 6 years old or younger. Twenty-five percent were interested in childbearing within the next year. Fifty-eight percent worked full time, but 41% wanted to reduce their work hours. Although the academic rank of this group clustered at the lower levels (2% full professor, 5% associate professor, 44% assistant professor, 39% instructor), 83% were interested in academic advancement. To that end, 74% wanted an academic mentor. Thirty percent indicated an interest in being a work–balance mentor, but most did not feel capable of being an academic mentor. Many of these women physicians are actively building families and nurturing relationships, typically in partnership with another busy professional, which sets the stage for imbalance. Despite their busy personal and professional lives, they expressed an as-yet-unmet desire to progress academically. In contrast to traditional dyadic mentorship, novel approaches may be required for academic advancement of women. We are exploring other models to facilitate academic progress and advancement of junior women faculty members in an institution without an adequate number of senior women academicians for one-to-one mentoring relationships.