Sex Ratio Research Articles

Left Atrial Strain for assessment of left ventricle diastolic dysfunction in acute coronary syndrome patients.

Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have a high incidence of Left ventricle diastolic dysfunction (DD). Latest algorithms for the assessment of DD lay on 2D parameters and describe a grading to quantify its severity. However, there persists a "gray zone" of values in which DD remains indeterminate. to analyze the diagnostic value of Left atrium strain (LAS) for categorization of LV DD and assessment of LV filling pressures in ACS patients. Cross-sectional study that prospectively evaluated 105 patients presenting ACS with preserved LV ejection fraction (LVEF). Patients were divided in 4 groups according to the DD grade. Mean values of LAS, corresponding to three phases of atrial function: reservoir (LASr), conduit (LAScd) and contraction (LASct), were obtained by speckle-tracking echocardiography. Mean age was 60±10 years, with a gender ratio of 6.14. LASr and LASct were significantly lower according to DD severity (p combined=0.021, p combined=0.034; respectively). E/e' ratio was negatively correlated to LASr (r= - 0.251; p= 0.022) and LASct (r= -0.197; p=0.077). Left atrial volume index (LAVI) was also negatively correlated to LASr (r= -0.294, p= 0.006) and LASct (r= -0.3049, p=0.005). Peak tricuspid regurgitation was negatively correlated to LASr (r=-0.323, p=0.017) and LASct (r=-0.319, p=0.020). Patients presenting elevated LV filling pressures had lower LASr and LASct (p=0.049, p=0.022, respectively) compared to patients witn normal LV filling pressures. ROC curve analysis showed that a LASr < 22% (Se= 75%, Sp= 73%) and a LASct < 13% (Se= 71%, Sp=58%) can increase the likelihood of DD grade II or III by 4.6 (OR= 4.6; 95% CI: 1.31-16.2; p=0.016) and 3.7 (OR= 3.7; 95% CI: 1.06-13.1; p= 0.047), respectively. LAS is a valuable tool, which can be used to categorize DD in ACS patients.

Male Social Work Students: Common Dispositions, Motivations, Experiences and Barriers impacting their Career Choice

Abstract This research article contributes to the literature concerning the gender imbalance within social work and the sparsity of male social work practitioners. It argues for increased gender balance within the profession and reports on a qualitative research study, which garnered the perceptions and experiences of thirty-four male social work students and alumni. Participants were drawn from six universities across the UK. Qualitative data were collated using semi-structured interviews, surveys, field observations and BEM sex role inventory tests. Analysis of the data identified the characteristics and dispositions of males more likely to enter the profession, locating where they can potentially be drawn from. This research is of interest to policymakers wishing to address the low status of the profession and in terms of informing a recruitment strategy for social work, particularly involving secondary and higher education to further promote the profession as one suitable for any gender.

Gender dynamics and academic rank in emergency medicine collaboration networks: A social network and gender propensity analysis

BackgroundAcademic productivity is bolstered by collaboration, which is in turn related to connectivity between individuals. Gender disparities have been identified in academics in terms of both academic promotion and output. Using gender propensity and network analysis, we aimed to describe patterns of collaboration on publications in emergency medicine (EM), focusing on two Midwest academic departments. MethodsWe identified faculty at two EM departments, their academic rank, and their publications from 2020 to 2022 and gathered information on their co-authors. Using network analysis, gender propensity and standard statistical analyses we assessed the collaboration network for differences between men and women. ResultsSocial network analysis of collaboration in academic emergency medicine showed no difference in the ways that men and women publish together. However, individuals with higher academic rank, regardless of gender, had more importance to the network. Men had a propensity to collaborate with men, and women with women. The rates of gender propensity for men and women fell between the gender ratios of emergency medicine (65%/35%) and the general population (50%/50%), 59.6% and 44%, respectively, suggesting a tendency toward homophily among men. ConclusionOur study aims to use network analysis and gender propensity to identify patterns of collaboration. We found that further work in the area of network analysis application to academic productivity may be of value, with a particular focus on the role of academic rank. Our methodology may aid department leaders by using the information from local analyses to identify opportunities to support faculty members to broaden and diversify their networks.

The psychological impact of SARS-COV-2: assessing anxiety and wellbeing within university students in Bangladesh during the pandemic

The main focus of this study was to explore the emotional experiences of Jahangirnagar University students amid the COVID-19 pandemic, shedding light on their well-being and anxiety levels during this unprecedented time. Using a multidimensional approach, our descriptive and exploratory statistics reveal the demographic characteristics of the diverse group of students, including a skewed gender ratio attributed to the pandemic. Notably, living arrangements significantly influence emotional states, as students residing with their families report lower anxiety levels, indicating the potential protective role of familial support during crises. Online class attendance emerges as a pivotal factor impacting emotional well-being, with regular participation associated with higher levels of well-being, while sporadic or non-attendance correlates with heightened anxiety. The study further reveals the impact of part-time job loss during the pandemic on student emotional states, highlighting the economic strain experienced by many students. A substantial proportion of students’ report both moderate to severe anxiety and sufficient well-being, underscoring the complexity of emotional experiences during this tumultuous period. Binary logistic regression identifies gender-based disparities and social support as predictors of well-being and anxiety, while factor analysis illuminates the underlying structures of these constructs. In conclusion, these insights call for prioritizing mental health support and fostering conducive environments within academic institutions, particularly Jahangirnagar University, thereby facilitating student resilience and academic success during uncertain times. Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 12(1 &amp; 2): 55-71, 2023 (June &amp; December)

Testing a hybrid risk assessment model: Predicting CSAM offender risk from digital forensic artifacts

BackgroundRecent research argues for a formalized hybrid risk assessment model that combines the current online child sex abuse risk measures with digital forensics artifacts. ObjectiveWe conducted a feasibility study as an initial step toward formalizing the hybrid risk assessment model by identifying high-level digital forensic artifacts that have the potential to be valid and reliable indicators of risk, with a focus on CPORT Items 5, 6, and 7. DataLaw enforcement investigators from a High Tech Crime Unit (HTCU) randomly selected seven closed cases; selection criteria included: male offender over 18, mobile device, child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offense, and 2019–2023 index offense. Investigation details related to probable cause, final charges, conviction, and offender risk were not disclosed. Statistical information (f, %) for the following digital forensics artifacts was examined: 1) pornography collection (e.g., % of media, content type, gender ratio) and 2) evidence of networking/grooming and other problematic online activities (e.g., number of native messages vs. application messages; type of installed apps). MethodThe analysis predicted whether the offender was a CSAM-only or dual offender and if our findings agreed with the level of risk for reoffending suggested by CPORT Items 5, 6, and 7. Results were shared with the HTCU and scored for accuracy. ResultsThe hybrid model was accurate in 6 of 7 cases. ConclusionWe conclude a hybrid model is feasible, and the findings illustrate the importance of analyzing app artifacts for context. Study limitations and future research recommendations are discussed.

Study on analysis of gender disparities among the first authors of publications on Menetriers disease

The disparities in gender representation within academic writing highlight pervasive social prejudices and inequalities, with male researchers predominating in both quantity and visibility, perpetuating a cycle of unequal representation. This imbalance limits the diversity of perspectives in intellectual discourse. However, there has been a noticeable increase in the representation of female authors, breaking traditional gender barriers. This research article aims to investigate gender disparities among first authors in medical literature concerning Menetrier's disease over the past 22 years. A cross-sectional study of 130 relevant publications from PubMed between January 2001 and December 2022 was conducted, analyzing the gender distribution of first authors using SPSS software. Results indicate that 70.7% of the articles had male first authors, with intermittent periods of female author prominence. While countries like China, Spain, and Italy showed relatively equitable gender ratios, others such as Japan, Turkey, India, and the Republic of Korea exhibited significant male dominance. However, no significant association between gender and country of authors was found. Despite these findings, limitations include potential errors in gender determination methods, focusing solely on first authorship, and overlooking contributions from co-authors, while the selected journals and countries may not fully represent global gender disparities.

Early‐life demographic processes do not drive adult sex ratio biases and mating systems in sympatric coucal species

Abstract Sex differences in early‐life survival can drive skewed adult sex ratios (ASR), which play an important role in mating tactics and parental sex roles. Among birds, cuckoos exhibit the largest diversity in mating systems and thus represent an interesting system to study sex‐specific demography. Here we investigate the early‐life survival pathways shaping ASR using long‐term field data and sex‐ and stage‐specific demographic modelling of black coucals and white‐browed coucals—two sympatric Centropus cuckoo species differing in mating system and the extent of sexual size dimorphism. We hypothesized that sexual size dimorphism would lead to differential juvenile mortality due to the greater energy demands and predation risk of the larger sex during maturation. We expected higher early‐life mortality among large‐bodied females in the sexually dimorphic and classically polyandrous black coucal, whereas no bias should exist in the less dimorphic and monogamous white‐browed coucal. Both species had balanced hatching sex ratios, but in black coucals, female survival (μ = 0.64 ± 0.061 SD) was lower during the ‘groundling’ phase (i.e. a flightless 3‐week period following nest departure) than male survival (0.70 ± 0.066). Yet, this sex difference in survival was not strong enough to account for the species' male‐biased ASR where 70% of the adult population is male. In white‐browed coucals, survival during maturation exhibited high inter‐individual variation but lacked clear sex differences, reflecting the emergence of a balanced ASR. In summary, we found no evidence that the strongly male‐biased ASR of black coucals is driven by sex‐specific survival during maturation. In black coucals, the male‐biased ASR must therefore stem from processes occurring later in life: possibly, larger females are more likely to die during migration and/or the recruitment of young females is delayed due to competitive exclusion by more experienced females. Our results differ from studies on shorebirds, in which sex‐specific mortality of precocial young is related to ASR and mating dynamics. Hence, early‐life sex biases in survival of precocial shorebirds cannot be generalized to other taxonomic groups. Factors other than early‐life sex biases in survival are likely to be important in shaping adult sex ratios and the associated mating dynamics and social behaviours in altricial coucals. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

The relationship between early maladaptive schemas and perceived stress among nursing students at the Beni Mellal Higher Institute of Nursing and Health Techniques in Morocco

The study aimed to explore the relationship between early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and perceived stress.We tested 136 first-cycle students at the Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques (ISPITS) in Béni Mellal. 25.7% male (35 students) and 74.3% female (101 students). 80.14% of students were under 21 years of age, 18.3% were between 21 and23-years-old, and 1.56% were over 24-years-old. This distribution reflects the typical age and gender ratio in nursing programs, where female students often outnumber male students. A descriptive correlational design, through the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), was employed.The results indicate that a significant proportion of nursing students experience high levels of EMS. The most prevalent schemas were emotional inhibition (74.26%), emotional deprivation (63.23%), and abandonment (55.14%). The results indicate significant positive correlations between several EMS and perceived stress levels, particularly the "Abandonment, “Emotional Deprivation", and "Emotional Inhibition" schemas. The regression model explained 42.3% of the variance in perceived stress (R = 0.423, F[7, 128] = 12.45, p &lt; 0.001), indicating that these EMS significantly predict the level of perceived stress among the students. Abandonment (β = 0.35, p = 0.004) and emotional inhibition (β = 0.25, p = 0.035) were the most significant predictors.These findings suggest that addressing EMS is essential for mitigating stress and promoting mental health among nursing students. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions to support students' emotional well-being, ultimately enhancing their academic and professional success.

‘Reimagining’ gender equality in media coverage?: feminist frameworks in European and Olympic portrayal guidelines

European entities (such as the European Union, European Commission, Council of Europe, and the European Broadcasting Union) published several reports between 2019 and 2022 that addressed gender representation in sports media. Drawing on multiple types of sources, including peer-reviewed research, the reports make recommendations for gender balance and gender equality in media coverage pertaining to national-level and international sports. This study analyzes four such documents to identify how research informs recommendations. First, the study examines citation practices in terms of authors’ location and data scope to observe that the guidelines draw primarily on research based in the United States, while omitting data from several regions of Europe. Then, guided by feminist storytelling as a framework, we analyse which feminist concepts circulate in media guidelines. The guidelines use systematic reviews to address gender inequalities in coverage, draw on intersectionality without specific references to theory, and recommend a gender-mainstreaming approach in production practice. We highlight studies that would address asymmetrical citation practices and epistemological gaps in portrayal guidelines and propose future directions for feminist sport media studies and sociology of sport research. A transnational feminist approach would be useful in avoiding universal recommendations while making connections between local particularities and global patterns.

Study on the influencing factors of the STR based on linear regression-take China as example

In recent years, the student-teacher ratio (STR) has received widespread attention in the field of education. By now, the STR has become an important indicator of education. This article first theoretically analyzes the relationship between the STR and the proportion of the school-age population in the middle school stage to the total population of the country, teacher gender ratio, the proportion of education expenditure in GDP, and GDP per capita, predicting that there is a positive correlation between STR and the proportion of school-age population in the total population, and there is a negative correlation between STR and the rate of women teacher, the proportion of education funds in GDP, and GDP per capita. Then this article establishes the regression equation of STR and the above variables through the data of secondary schools in China in the past 30 years. And it finds that there is a positive correlation between STR and the proportion of the school-age population in the middle school stage to the total population of the country, and there is a negative correlation between STR and the rate of women teachers, and GDP per capita, and there is no linear relation between STR and the proportion of education funds in GDP. Also, this article finds that proportion of the proportion of the school-age population in the middle school stage to the total population of the country, rate of women teachers and GDP per capita have collinearity relationship.

Old Age Security: Impacts of Social Security Systems on Households Fertility Decisions

The social security system is one of the biggest government public expenditures across countries with diverse influences on peoples daily lives. In this study, longitudinal household survey data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study are used to examine the influence of social security systems on households fertility decisions. Using the method of regression analysis, the impact of three types of social security systems are investigated: pensions, medical insurance, and reimbursements. It is found that social security systems significantly decrease the number of children per household. However, it does not affect households gender preferences and fails to achieve gender balance as reflected in the more-than-average number of male children across time. These findings afford valuable insights for the government in formulating social security policies while concurrently addressing the decreasing fertility rate in recent years.

Effect of Companies Senior Personnel Gender Differences on Company Capital Structure

Previous researches have analyzed the effect of gender diversity toward financial performance toward the companies. This article aims to analyze the effect of gender situation toward capital structure on the whole A shares companies. The data mainly contain gender ratio of senior executives, gender of board of directors, firm size, industries classification, number of people on board, and of total remuneration of the top three directors. The previous two variables are the core explaining variable. The period is from 2010 to 2019 and the frequency is yearly. The OLS pooled regression and fixed effect model are chosen to analyzed. The results are not totally consistent with previous research suggesting the increase of female on the board, that is, increase gender diversity would definitely improve capital structure. The female board of directors will indeed make less debt financing compared with male board of directors. However, the female ratio in the senior executives is usually positively related with the D/E ratio. The possible reason is the overall conservative attitude of female can help them avoid overconfidence bias when using debt financing, and thus loan less debt and make the D/E be lower. However, on the other hands, it also makes female be too afraid of the lack of cash flow and may make more loan. Other parts of the results focusing on the control variable are consistent with previous researches and can be explained by classical financial theory.

Metformin Use in the First Trimester of Pregnancy and Risk for Nonlive Birth and Congenital Malformations: Emulating a Target Trial Using Real-World Data.

Metformin is a first-line pharmacotherapy for type 2 diabetes, but there is limited evidence about its safety in early pregnancy. To evaluate the teratogenicity of metformin use in the first trimester of pregnancy. In an observational cohort of pregnant women with pregestational type 2 diabetes receiving metformin monotherapy before the last menstrual period (LMP), a target trial with 2 treatment strategies was emulated: insulin monotherapy (discontinue metformin treatment and initiate insulin within 90 days of LMP) or insulin plus metformin (continue metformin and initiate insulin within 90 days of LMP). U.S. Medicaid health care administration database (2000 to 2018). 12 489 pregnant women who met the eligibility criteria. The risk and risk ratio of nonlive births, live births with congenital malformations, and congenital malformations among live births were estimated using standardization to adjust for covariates. A total of 850 women were in the insulin monotherapy group and 1557 in the insulin plus metformin group. The estimated risk for nonlive birth was 32.7% under insulin monotherapy (reference) and 34.3% under insulin plus metformin (risk ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 1.01 to 1.04]). The estimated risk for live birth with congenital malformations was 8.0% (CI, 5.7% to 10.2%) under insulin monotherapy and 5.7% (CI, 4.5% to 7.3%) under insulin plus metformin (risk ratio, 0.72 [CI, 0.51 to 1.09]). Possible residual confounding by glycemic control and body mass index. Compared with switching to insulin monotherapy, continuing metformin and adding insulin in early pregnancy resulted in little to no increased risk for nonlive birth among women receiving metformin before pregnancy. Under conventional statistical criteria, anything between a 49% decrease and a 9% increase in risk for congenital malformations was highly compatible with our data. National Institutes of Health.

NFS-26.RB1-ALTERED SUBTYPE (GROUP A) PINEOBLASTOMA AS A PART OF «TRILATERAL RETINOBLASTOMA» PHENOMENON: NEURO-ONCOLOGICAL AND OPHTHALMIC-ONCOLOGICAL VIEW

Abstract BACKGROUND RB1-altered subtype (Group A) pineoblastoma as a part of «Trilateral retinoblastoma» is an extremely rare phenomenon. But over the past 10 years, the incidence of this disease has been increasing. Optimal therapeutic strategy is unknown. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of this phenomenon among patients with retinoblastoma, age at onset of retinoblastoma/RB1-altered pineoblastoma and genetic, gender, age predisposition. DESIGN/METHODS From 2019 to 2023 years 256 pediatric patients with de novo retinoblastoma were treated in the FSBI «N.N.Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology». RB1-altered pineoblastoma was revealed in 9 cases (3,5% of all patients, 9,5% among patients with bilateral retinoblastoma, 6,6% for patient with the onset of retinoblastoma under the age of 12 months). Diagnosis was determined according to familial history, retinal camera and MRI data, histology, immunohistochemistry and Illumina Infinium methylation EPIC Bead Chip method (FFPE tumor samples), NGS and MLPA methods for detection of RB1 germline mutation status (blood samples). Therapeutic options for patients with RB1-altered subtype pineoblastoma were presented as like–COGARET0321, like–HIT–MED2017/2020, selective intra-arterial chemotherapy, intravitreal chemotherapy, transpupillary thermotherapy, brachytherapy. RESULTS Gender ratio was 1:2 (3 male and 6 female). In all cases, intraocular retinoblastoma was bilateral. Family history was revealed in two cases. Age at onset of retinoblastoma: less than 6 months in 8 cases, all cases less 2 years, median 3±1,9 months [1,5-20,5]. Median age at onset of RB1-altered subtype pineoblastoma was 20,5±7,3 months [1,5-57,5]. A synchronous variant of the disease was identified in 5 cases, metachronous in 4. Pineoblastoma of pineal region was detected in 7 cases, suprasellar region in 2. Six out of 9 patients are alive, median follow-up 16,5±5,1 months [1,5-43,0]. CONCLUSION It is necessary to expand both regional and international interdisciplinary cooperation to develop an optimal algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Gender balance in orthopedics and trauma surgery—status quo

Gender balance in orthopedics and trauma surgery—status quo

Gender representation in Canadian surgical leadership and medical faculties: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundOver the past two and half decades, Canadian medical school students have become majority female, and the medical workforce is therefore increasingly comprised of female physicians. Whether this change, however, has been reflected in the gender balance within medical school faculty positions and leadership has not been well studied in Canada.MethodsThis cross-sectional study examined the genders of full-time faculty members from the most recently available AFMC data, the current heads of departments of medicine and surgery from department websites and confirmed with respective universities.ResultsOverall, women held 40.5% of full-time faculty positions in Canadian faculties of medicine. Female representation decreased with increasing academic rank, from 57.8% of instructors to 50.8% of assistant, 39.2% of associate, and 28.1% of full professors, respectively, with the greatest rate of increase over the past decade among full professors (0.75% per year). The heads of departments of family medicine were majority female (67%), and heads internal medicine at parity (50% female), consistent with numbers of practicing physicians. However, the heads of surgical divisions were majority male (86% overall). Accounting for the gender balance of practicing surgeons, male compared to female surgeons were 2.9 times as likely to be division head (95% CI 1.78–4.85, p < 0.0001).ConclusionsWomen remain underrepresented in Canadian faculties of medicine in leadership positions. Leadership in departments of surgery has particularly low female representation, even relative to the proportion of practicing female surgeons within the respective discipline.

Gender Balancing: A Study of Increasing Participation of Women in Governance

Gender Balancing: A Study of Increasing Participation of Women in Governance

The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Media Operations in Rwanda

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization designated COVID-19 as a worldwide pandemic, the first of its kind since H1N1 influenza was categorized as a pandemic in 2009.The pandemic has caused unprecedented economic challenges globally across various sectors, including the media. Media organizations heavily rely on advertising revenue, which took a hit during the pandemic. Media organizations have had to drastically adjust to new ways of operating to align with the untold consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, there has been a scarcity of scholarly research exploring the effect of the pandemic on how different media houses managed to overcome and adjust to the changing operating environment. To address this research gap, this research project took the case study of Rwanda and explored how the pandemic has affected the different media houses in different aspects of their operations. The study sheds light on how the pandemic has affected Rwandan media operations and how they have responded to the new operating environment. The specific objectives of the study were as follows: to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic affected media production routines; to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic affected media revenues; to find out how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the welfare of journalists in Rwandan media houses; and to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the way media houses in Rwanda engaged with their audience. To achieve the research goals, the study employed the explanatory sequential research design, which is a mixed research approach that incorporated a survey and interviews. The survey targeted 85 accredited journalists, sampled from a population of 568 journalists. The study focused on media houses operating in the three districts of the City of Kigali: Kicukiro, Gasabo, and Nyarugenge Districts. To select the sample of respondents, a simple random approach was used, considering gender balance. In relation to the study, political economy theory was used to place the research within a broader context by connecting it to existing knowledge. The research revealed that Rwandan journalists encountered difficulties in gathering and producing news, prompting a move towards remote reporting and dependence on citizen journalism. Decreased media revenues, attributed to event cancellations and reduced advertising, resulted in job losses and salary reductions. Journalists also had challenges in obtaining sources and negative consequences for their well-being. Media organizations need to protect journalists, challenge false information, and diversify their funding streams in order to increase their efficiency in times of crisis. While media groups should train journalists to be flexible in every situation and support press freedom, the Rwandan government should facilitate the flow of information and offer financial support to media outlets during times of crisis.

Epidemeiology of Burns in Peadiatric Patients in Pakistan: A Systemic Review

Burns are graded as the fourth most common trauma type globally followed by other traumas including accidents, interpersonal violence and falls. South Asian regions account for 187- 243 incidences of burns in adults per hundred thousand annually. Moreover, about 22.5% of all burns occur in children and youth. 42% of those in children between the ages of 5 to 16 years old. Whereas Pakistan lacks national data and cannot measure the burn burden annually. Due to the lack of clinical and epidemiological studies on burns in pediatrics patients in Pakistan, we performed this study. This systemic review study aimed at summarizing available Pakistan’s epidemiological data, based on national studies in the past 32 years. The data of our systemic review were collected from six search engines, i.e. PubMed, Google Scholar, PakMediNet, Scopus, Springer and DOAJ. The studies which were reviewed for the article were from 1990 to 2022. The articles of nonhuman participants, duplication and lacking in primary focus were excluded. The PRISMA guidelines were used. A total of 11 articles were included out of which 4 are from Islamabad ICT, 2 from Sindh, 1 from Balochistan and 4 from Punjab. The overall gender ratio shows male dominance of 55.83 %. Scald burn were recorded at a higher percentage of 48.7%. The mean TBSA recorded in this research was 17%. The mean mortality rate of all the studies shows a percentage of 14.84%. More research studies are needed to be done in the areas lacking information about the victims of burn injuries so that policymakers know the actual figure of the injuries with whom they have to deal.

”Jag ville testa på att plugga på universitetet… och så ville jag få jobba med barn”

During the past two decades, teacher education has come to comprise the largest student enrollment in higher education programs in the Swedish context. This study examines 11 students enrolled in a teacher program specializing in school-age educare (grundlärare i fritidshem). School-age educare students exhibit a notable gender balance and many come from low-level educational and/or migrant backgrounds, leading to an exploration into the (re)production of class and gender dynamics. Through a thematic analysis of interviews, this article delves into how these students articulate their educational choices in relation to migrant background, gender, and class, and envision their future profession. The study highlights the dual motivation driving their specific educational decision: a desire for higher education and the need to enhance employability. Within this context, school-age educare emerges as a distinct and special kind of teacher endeavor. Gender, as perceived by the students, could both be framed as an asset and as a possible obstacle in discussions about their future profession. Male teachers could be both viewed as important role models yet also as ambivalent figures. This study offers insights into the interplay of class, gender, migrant background and educational aspirations, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of contemporary teacher education in Sweden.