The influence of an all-female healthcare environment on mentorship and empowerment of female healthcare professionals.

Naikhoba C O Munabi,Caroline A Yao,William P Magee,Kathy S Magee,Libby D Bunker,Sara Koualla,Allyn Auslander,Kella L Vangsness,Meredith D Xepoleas,Ananya Banerjee

doi:10.1371/journal.pgph.0000081

Abstract

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have the greatest need for additional healthcare providers, and women outside the workforce help address the need. Women in healthcare need more mentorship and leadership training to advance their careers due to systemic barriers. This study evaluates how women working together on a medical team influences mentorship, leadership and empowerment. A single all-female volunteer team participating in a cleft surgery mission in Oujda, Morocco were surveyed before and after the mission. Statistical analysis with student's t-test or chi-squared were performed. 95 female volunteers from 23 countries participated on this team and 85% completed surveys. Volunteers from high-income countries (32%) and LMICs (68%) had similar mission roles (p = 0.58). Experience as a mission volunteer (p = 0.47), team leader (p = 0.28), and educator (p = 0.18) were equivalent between cohorts. 73% of women had previously received mentorship but 98% wanted more. 75% had previously mentored others, but 97% wanted to be mentors. 73% of volunteers who had no prior mentorship found their first mentor during the mission. All participants found a long-term peer relationship and felt motivated to mentor women at home. 95% were inspired to pursue leadership positions, advance professionally, and continue working with other women. This population of female healthcare professionals overwhelmingly desired more mentorship than is felt to be available. An all-female healthcare environment appears to provide opportunities for mentorship and create lasting motivation to teach, lead, and advance professionally. Findings raise the potential that increasing visibility of female professionals may effectively empower women in healthcare.

Highlights

Eighteen million more healthcare workers, most prominently in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), are needed globally to provide safe and accessible surgical care to the world’s population [1]
Women are the largest demographic of people that can be mobilized into healthcare to fill current gaps in multiple provider roles [2]
95 women participated in the mission and all were eligible for the study. 70 (74%) were medical volunteers and 25 (26%) were nonmedical volunteers

Summary

Introduction

Eighteen million more healthcare workers, most prominently in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), are needed globally to provide safe and accessible surgical care to the world’s population [1]. Women are the largest demographic of people that can be mobilized into healthcare to fill current gaps in multiple provider roles [2]. Increasing the number of women in healthcare requires understanding barriers to entrance and advancement. While 70% of healthcare roles are currently filled by women, the majority of leadership positions are held by men [3]. Seventy-five percent of senior roles in medicine are held by men, 69% of global health organizations are led by men, and 80% of healthcare boards are exclusively men [3, 4]. Studies suggest that lack of female representation in leadership positions, restrictive cultural gender norms, and lack of mentorship contribute to limited engagement and advancement of women in healthcare [5–9]

Results

Discussion

Conclusion