Women Chairs in Psychiatry: A Collective Reflection

Abstract

This article describes the experiences of women chairs in psychiatry. All women chairs in psychiatry were contacted by the author to share their personal experiences as chair. Seven out of 10 chairs accepted the invitation. A similar invitation was extended to a few female and male academics. Women in chair positions come from smaller schools and departments, have clinical and educational backgrounds, have fewer grants than their male counterparts, and are more likely to be recruited from within. Most of the women did not aspire to be chair, but after an initial adjustment period, they felt their job to be less stressful. Mentors played a role in the careers of some, but not all women chairs.