Factors Influencing Female Medical Students’ Decision to Pursue Surgical Specialties: A Systematic Review

Trinh, Lily N.; O’Rorke, Erin; Mulcahey, Mary K.

doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.08.050

Cited by 56 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…[ 1 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 11 ] The main obstacles to becoming neurosurgeons included; the lack of adequate mentoring, inadequacy of many training programs, unique obstacles encountered for women in training, and prejudice/discrimination against women. [ 3 , 5 , 6 , 11 , 18 ] Women in Neurosurgery (WINS), and James Beane M.D. on behalf of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), proposed in a 2008 a White Paper for neurosurgery (the future of neurosurgery: a white paper on the recruitment and retention of WINS, Japan Neurosurgical Society [JNS] 2008).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At present, almost half of the doctors in Europe are women. [ 18 , 20 ] In 2016, the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS) database, including information from 39 member countries, observed that women accounted for just 12% of all neurosurgeons (1565 females vs. 12,985 males). [ 13 ] Interestingly, 36% of neurosurgeons in Italy were female, while there were none in Kosovo and Cyprus.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Female insertion in neurosurgery: Evolution of a stigma break

Severo¹,

Lemos²,

Vianna

et al. 2021

Surgical Neurology International

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Background: Utilizing the Brazilian Medical Demography analysis and a literature review, we evaluated how women choose to become neurosurgeons in Brazil and around the world, specifically citing the Europe, the USA, India, and Japan. Methods: We utilized the Brazilian Medical Demography prepared by the Federal Council of Medicine and the Regional Council of Medicine of the State of São Paulo (2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018). We also included an evaluation of 20 articles from PubMed, the Scientific Electronic Library Online, and National Health Library databases (e.g., using descriptors “Women in neurosurgery” and “Career”). Results: In Brazil in 2017, women comprised 45.6% of active doctors, but only 8.6% of all neurosurgeons. Of 20 articles identified in the literature, 50% analyzed the factors that influenced how women choose neurosurgery, 40% dealt with gender differences, while just 10% included an analysis of what it is like to be a female neurosurgeon in different countries/continents. Conclusion: The participation of women in neurosurgery has increased in recent years despite the persistence of gender inequality and prejudice. More women need to be enabled to become neurosurgeons as their capabilities, manual dexterity, and judgment should be valued to improve the quality of neurosurgical health-care delivery.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Female insertion in neurosurgery: Evolution of a stigma break

Severo¹,

Lemos²,

Vianna

et al. 2021

Surgical Neurology International

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“…We did not set out to stratify sampling by gender; however, the proportion of males to females does align with reports of McCartney et al of our Medical school 22 .Although our study is limited in sample size and sampling method, the finding is consistent with a large cross-sectional study of similar medical students in eleven Latin American countries, which showed that female students were less likely to select surgical specialty as a future career path with the exception of Paediatric surgery. 23 In reviews of gender difference among medical student selection of future career paths, the evidence that more females are represented in the medical profession than males is a worldwide trend and their interest in surgical specialties is known to be impacted by gender-bias discrimination, including lack of encouragement by the medical schools and extra-professional concerns as deterrents, including the need to balance having children and family life [24][25][26] We identified a gender association with the extra-professional concerns with more IJMS females selecting these motivational factors (job security, patient contact and working hours) for their future career path;other studies have highlighted these as important for female medical student decisions. 10,27 We did not find any gender association with motivational factors for participants who selected surgical specialties and therefore unable to posit a reason for the greater representation of males.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Elective Choices and Motivations for Future Career Specialty Selection of Medical School Trainees and Junior Doctors of The University of the West Indies, Jamaica

et al. 2021

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Background: Clinical electives, provide opportunities to inform future career paths. The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether the clinical electives were being used as intended i.e. to help with specialization choice and to determine the factors that influence trainee decisions for specialty training at The University of the West Indies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2019 and March 2020, using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: 193 participants completed the questionnaire, aged 20 to 35 years, 133 (68.9%) were females. The most common electives completed were internal medicine specialties (80, 41.5%), followed by surgical specialties (53. 27.5%). Only 64(33.2%) participants reported electives used to gain experience for future career; other reasons included filling knowledge gaps (101, 52.3%), having to repeat failed clerkships (19, 9.8%). Future career preferences were the specialties of surgery (75, 40.8%), internal medicine (41, 22.3%), anaesthetics (20,10.4%) and obstetrics & gynaecology (18, 9.3%). Males showed a preference for surgical specialties (p=0.002). The use of the elective for determining career path showed significant correlation with future specialty choice (Likelihood ratio chi-square test (32) = 98.37, p<0.001). Career motivation factors correlating significantly with future specialty choices were intellectual challenge (p=0.025), income (p=0.010), prestige(p=0.015) and working hours(p=0.012). Conclusions: There was use of clinical elective rotations as intended by senior medical students and junior doctors. Surgical specialties were the top selections especially for males. Career counseling was needed to guide beneficial use of the clinical electives and to encourage the alignment of specialty choice with trainee motivations.

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“…One of the most significant changes for women in surgery in the twenty-first century is increased numbers of women studying medicine, with women typically making up at least 50% of graduating medical school classes ( 20 ). However, the number of women pursuing surgical careers is still very low, with causative explanations including gender-based bullying, gender discrimination, harassment, and lack of mentoring and role models in surgical practice ( 21 – 25 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender Matters: Understanding Transitions in Surgical Education

et al. 2022

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IntroductionDiverse transitions are elemental to medical career trajectories. The effective navigation of such transitions influences a sense of belonging and wellbeing, positive relationships, and good engagement and attainment within new contexts. Using Multiple and Multidimensional Transitions (MMT) theory as an analytical lens, this paper aims to answer the research question: “What gendered transitions do female surgeons experience, and how do these gendered transitions impact them?”MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study drawing on narrative inquiry, with face-to-face and online semi-structured interviews with 29 female surgeons across nine surgical specialities in Ireland and Scotland. This paper is part of a larger study including male surgeons, other colleagues and patients of female surgeons. The female surgeons in this paper were purposively sampled using maximum variation sampling across several levels (consultants, trainees and middle-grade doctors), as well as six who had transitioned out of surgery. Framework analysis was employed to interrogate the interview data.ResultsFive overarching types of transitions were identified across surgical education but only three of these transitions—work, culture and health—were primarily experienced by female surgeons (not male surgeons so were considered gendered), thereby impacting social, academic, and psychological domains. The remaining two types of transition—education and geography—were seemingly experienced equally by female and male surgeons, so are beyond the scope of this paper focused on female surgeons’ gendered experiences.ConclusionThis novel qualitative study drawing on MMT theory illustrates how multiple gendered transitions interact and impact female surgeons across the surgical education continuum. Aligned with MMT theory, family members and others are also purportedly affected by female surgeons’ transitions. Healthcare educators, leaders and policymakers need to better understand gendered transitions and their impacts to improve support for female surgical trainees on their educational journeys.

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Factors Influencing Female Medical Students’ Decision to Pursue Surgical Specialties: A Systematic Review

Cited by 56 publications

References 51 publications

Female insertion in neurosurgery: Evolution of a stigma break

Female insertion in neurosurgery: Evolution of a stigma break

Clinical Elective Choices and Motivations for Future Career Specialty Selection of Medical School Trainees and Junior Doctors of The University of the West Indies, Jamaica

Gender Matters: Understanding Transitions in Surgical Education

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