A call to action: gender equity in Canadian anesthesiology

Abstract

In recent years, our society has increasingly confronted inequities faced by members of marginalized and disempowered groups. Gender bias has become an important topic of conversation and of academic discourse and research. Despite relevant literature dating back many years, medicine in Canada has only recently started to examine how gender bias has impacted our profession, clinical care, and research agenda. Thus far, the Canadian anesthesiology community has engaged very little in the much-needed introspection on gender biassomething that needs to change. The Canadian anesthesiology landscape continues to be very male. In 2018, one third of practising anesthesiologists were female, 1 despite women making up 42% of all Canadian physicians. 2 Women have made up at least half of Canadian medical students since 1999 but currently only 38% of anesthesiology postgraduate residency trainees are female. 3 In Canadian academic departments of anesthesiology, women comprise only 18% of all full professors, 27% of associate professors, 33% of assistant professors, and 49% of instructors (personal communication K. Kassim, Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada; November, 2018). Currently, only two of 17 chairs (12%) of academic departments of Anesthesiology are female and all of the 2018 Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society (CAS) Honour Award Recipients were male. 4 Only one of the five members of the current CAS executive is female, and in the 75-year history of the CAS, only three women have served as president. The editorial board of the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia currently has only five women (21%) out of its 24 members.

Women in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine in France: Are we making any progress?

“…These findings are not specific to France. A similar analysis examining the roles of women in Canadian anaesthesiology reports that one third of practicing anaesthesiologists and 38% of anaesthesiology postgraduate residency trainees were female in 2018 [9].…”

Fostering belonging in academic anaesthesiology: faculty and department chair perspectives on supporting women anaesthesiologists

“…This esteem may manifest subjectively as professional reputation and the extent to which one is sought out as an expert in an area of focus, be it clinical practice, education, administration, or research. Academic promotion to senior faculty, 23,32 professional organisational leadership, 23,33 invitations to author scholarly commentaries, 34 and prestigious awards 35 are additional indicators of esteem, in which women continue to lag behind men. We are working to identify and address traditional barriers to promotion and advancement within academic medicine for women faculty.…”

Accepting the baton at the Journal: a moment to celebrate success, science, diversity, and future opportunities

“…While this number reflects a notable increase since 1996 (when there were none), 4 it does not adequately and equitably reflect our community. As observed in a recent “reflections” piece published in the Journal , 5 since 1999, more than 50% of Canadian medical students have been women; in 2018, 38% of Canadian anesthesiologists were women. The situation is similar when it comes to the Journal ’s authors 6 and reviewers—the latter was the subject of a recent article from Australia.…”

“…Alors que ce nombre constitue une augmentation considérable depuis 1996 (où il n’y avait aucune femme), 4 il ne reflète pas notre communauté de façon adéquate et équitable. Comme cela a été mentionné dans une des « Réflexions » récentes publiées dans le Journal (en anglais seulement), 5 depuis 1999, plus de 50 % des étudiants en médecine au Canada sont des étudiantes; en 2018, 38 % des anesthésiologistes canadiens étaient des femmes. La situation est similaire en ce qui touche aux auteurs 6 et réviseurs du Journal – les seconds ont fait l’objet d’un article récent provenant d’Australie.…”