A Report of Gender Bias and Sexual Harassment in Current Plastic Surgery Training: A National Survey

Abstract

In 1995, the Council on Graduate Medical Education concluded that "gender bias, a reflection of society's value system, remains the single greatest deterrent to women achieving their full potential in every aspect of the medical profession and is a barrier throughout the professional life cycle." 1 Although awareness of sexual misconduct in the field of medicine is improving with the advent of the #MeToo era, obstacles to breaking the silence persist. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Multiple previous studies investigating sexual misconduct during medical education have consistently found female students more likely to experience

Exposure of medical students to sexism and sexual harassment and their association with mental health: a cross-sectional study at a Swiss medical school

“…Consistently with the literature on students’ help-seeking behaviour, approximately one-third of the students at risk of clinical depression sought mental health consultation,50 51 even less among men 52. This is particularly alarming, as medical students tend to resign to the undergone violence and feel helpless towards minimising institutions 53–55. Oppressive learning environments have far-reaching consequences such as ‘the epidemic of burnout’ among residents,4 the lack of self-confidence16 55 and the unequal chances in careers 56.…”

“…This is particularly alarming, as medical students tend to resign to the undergone violence and feel helpless towards minimising institutions 53–55. Oppressive learning environments have far-reaching consequences such as ‘the epidemic of burnout’ among residents,4 the lack of self-confidence16 55 and the unequal chances in careers 56. Harassed students may choose medical disciplines with a higher proportion of women in senior positions,49 or with better pregnancy and breastfeeding policies 46…”

Examination of the Novel National Institutes of Health-Supported Relative Citation Ratio, a Measure of Research Productivity, Among Academic Plastic Surgeons

“…Additionally, attrition among women at the mid-career level is substantial secondary to reported discrimination and harassment, decreased career satisfaction, and significant burnout. [25][26][27] Addressing these issues will require a long-term multifactorial approach with the integration of mentorship programs and initiatives to promote gender equity. 28 PhD degree status had a notable influence on research productivity, as assessed by the w-RCR, but not on research impact, as assessed by the m-RCR.…”

Update: Diversity and Practice Patterns of International Craniomaxillofacial Surgeons

“…Additionally, Chen et al 15 found significant disagreement between men and women regarding the experience of discrimination in the workplace, including unequal opportunities for career advancement and exclusion from networking opportunities. Thirty-five percent of our sample (n = 26) reported perceived discrimination, sexual, or otherwise.…”

“…14 Craniofa-cial surgery is no exception, with a significant female minority and more than twice as many women reporting workplace discrimination compared with their male colleagues. A national study by Chen et al 15 of plastic surgery trainees found sexual discrimination and harassment to significantly diminish females' career goals/ambition. In a field as competitive as craniofacial surgery, not having mentors who take genuine interest in one's career development can be a significant detriment to success, one from which women suffer disproportionately.…”