Women in Medicine: Call to Action.

Abstract

A diverse health care workforce, across a variety of factors that include gender, is needed to meet the needs of the diverse US population. Yet, even as more women physicians enter the workforce, they face persistent challenges, including pay scale inequities, discrimination, and an imbalance between responsibilities at work and home.1–3 These inequities are often reflected in measured pay gaps, disparities in advanced leadership roles, and higher rates of burnout for women physicians when compared with their colleagues who are men.2–4 Furthermore, women physicians experience gender bias and discrimination in the workplace and report higher rates of imposter phenomenon compared with physicians who are men.5,6 These experiences are even more significant for women physicians who are Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC). Although progress has been made in getting more women into fields of medicine, the remaining equity issues are deeply rooted in organizational and societal culture, calling for an intentional and systemic approach to fostering change in the medical community.7To address these issues, in 2018, 6 leading US medical organizations formed an ambitious partnership around the inaugural Women’s Wellness through Equity and Leadership project (WEL).8 Led by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and in collaboration with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American College of Physicians (ACP), American Hospital Association (AHA), and American Psychiatric Association (APA), WEL brought together a diverse group of 18 early- to midcareer women physicians for networking, leadership training, and mentorship. Capitalizing on the collective knowledge of this broad group of medical specialties, the WEL consortium empowered women physicians to build cross-specialty relationships critical to address the myriad of issues facing physicians in the evolving US health care system.The WEL consortium continues to actively examine the culture of medicine and the complex interplay between physicians and their institutions and environments. As stewards of medicine, the WEL partner organizations have substantial opportunities to foster important change. Leveraging their collective memberships of >400 000 physicians, they can advance an agenda for equitable leadership opportunities, advocate with one voice, and forge an inclusive health care workforce. Furthermore, additional organizations are being recruited to the WEL consortium to broaden reach and enhance intersectionality of specialties.The following call to action targets the organizational and advocacy opportunities reflected from within this consortium and implores health care organizations and medical institutions to reflect on their own practices and potential.As a collective group, we believe that the profession of medicine should collaboratively and intentionally address the numerous, multifaceted issues that hinder women physicians from reaching their full potential and ability to positively influence the profession of medicine, including by the following: We look forward to continuing to engage in this important work together and in joining with our colleagues from other specialties to continue building more equitable and inclusive work environments for all physicians. Individually, our voices are strong; together, our voices can create authentic, sustainable change.