The confidence gap: Findings for women in plastic surgery

Boerum, Melody Scheefer Van; Jarman, Angela F.; Veith, Jacob; Allen, Chelsea McCarty; Holoyda, Kathleen A.; Agarwal, Cori A.; Crombie, Courtney; Cochran, Amalia

doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.06.037

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Constrained Communication considers the care taken when female leaders communicate within a group as well as how they present or promote themselves to others. Constrained communication manifests with women suppressing their leadership qualities to avoid backlash and fit more traditional gender roles, but then being perceived as less confident than men 20 . This role incongruity exists for women, and the current culture reinforces that “powerful men should display their power and powerful women should not.” 21 This barrier was not as strongly voiced in the open-text responses, possibly because female surgeons were more likely to describe personal experiences rather than the accommodations they made to fit into an inhospitable environment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiences of Canadian Female Orthopaedic Surgeons in the Workplace

Hiemstra

Kerslake

Clark

et al. 2022

Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery

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Background:Only 13.6% of orthopaedic surgeons in Canada are women, even though there is nothing inherent to the practice of orthopaedic surgery that favors men over women. Clearly, there is a need to identify, define, and measure the barriers faced by women in orthopaedic surgery.Methods:An electronic survey was distributed to 330 female-identifying Canadian orthopaedic surgeons and trainees and included the validated Gender Bias Scale (GBS) and questions about career burnout. The barriers for women in Canadian orthopaedics were identified using the GBS. The relationships between the GBS and burnout were investigated. Open-text questions explored the barriers perceived by female orthopaedic surgeons.Results:The survey was completed by 220 female orthopaedic surgeons and trainees (66.7%). Five barriers to gender equity were identified from the GBS: Constrained Communication, Unequal Standards, Male Culture, Lack of Mentoring, and Workplace Harassment. Career burnout correlated with the GBS domains of Male Privilege (r = 0.215; p < 0.01), Disproportionate Constraints (r = 0.152; p < 0.05), and Devaluation (r = 0.166; p < 0.05). Five main themes emerged from the open-text responses, of which 4 linked closely to the barriers identified in the GBS. Work-life integration was also identified qualitatively as a theme, most notably the difficulty of balancing disproportionate parental and childcare responsibilities alongside career aspirations.Conclusions:In this study, 5 barriers to workplace equity for Canadian female orthopaedic surgeons were identified using the validated GBS and substantiated with qualitative assessment using a mixed-methods approach. Awareness of these barriers is a necessary step toward dismantling them and changing the prevailing culture to be fair and equitable for all.Clinical Relevance:A just and equitable orthopaedic profession is imperative to have healthy and thriving surgeons who are able to provide optimal patient care.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiences of Canadian Female Orthopaedic Surgeons in the Workplace

Hiemstra

Kerslake

Clark

et al. 2022

Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery

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“…19 The leaky pipeline phenomenon explains this trend, wherein female and UIM medical students do not apply to surgery residencies at the same rates as their better-represented counterparts. 20,21 Notably, effective mentorship broadens trainee diversity in surgical specialties, 12,22,23 as female and UIM students place considerable importance on the gender and ethnic diversity of faculty. 10,24 Thus, this strategy—female and UIM mentorship—relies heavily on the presence of female and UIM faculty for these mirroring mentorship experiences to take place.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying US Plastic Surgery Training Programs that Effectively Establish Gender and Ethnically Diverse Faculty

Onyekaba

Mauch

McAuliffe

et al. 2022

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open

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Background: Successful strategies to improve the representation of female and ethnically underrepresented in medicine (UIM) physicians among US plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS) faculty have not been adequately explored. Accordingly, we aimed to identify programs that have had success, and in parallel gather PRS program directors’ and chiefs/chairs’ perspectives on diversity recruitment intentionality and strategies. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the demographic composition of female and UIM faculty of PRS residency training programs. Separate lists of programs in the top quartile for female and UIM faculty representation were collated. Additionally, a 14-question survey was administered to program directors and chiefs/chairs of all 99 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited PRS residency programs. The questions comprised three domains: (1) demographic information; (2) perceptions about diversity; and (3) recruitment strategies utilized to diversify faculty. Results: Female and UIM faculty representation ranged from 0% to 63% and 0% to 50%, respectively. Survey responses were received from program directors and chiefs/chairs of 55 institutions (55% response rate). Twenty-five (43%) respondents felt their program was diverse. Fifty-one (80%) respondents felt diversity was important to the composition of PRS faculty. Active recruitment of diverse faculty and the implementation of a diversity, equity, and inclusion committee were among the most frequently cited strategies to establish a culturally sensitive and inclusive environment. Conclusions: These findings reveal that female and UIM representation among US PRS faculty remains insufficient; however, some programs have had success through deliberate and intentional implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies.

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“…Mentorship may be even more important to those from underrepresented gender (women) and ethnic backgrounds (African American and Hispanic) if our specialty is to increase the diversity of its members and eventually diversity of its leadership. 13,14 Whereas it is not clear whether mentors should be of the same gender or ethnic background as the mentee, it is clear that such individuals should be encouraged to enter plastic surgery and guided toward leadership positions. Evolution of mentorship programs to help direct aspiring plastic surgeons from their medical student through midcareer years can help to foster these relationships.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Importance of Mentorship in Shaping the Careers of Academic Leaders in Plastic Surgery

Janes

Kearney

Taub

et al. 2022

Plastic &Amp; Reconstructive Surgery

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Background: The majority of successful academic physicians cite mentorship as a critical element of their achievements. The goal of this study was to survey established leaders in plastic surgery to identify the importance that mentorship played in their career development, and to identify common themes that enabled them to “pay it forward” in helping to develop the next generation of leaders in plastic surgery. Methods: The authors performed a qualitative survey of 14 established leaders in plastic surgery (mentors) in the United States with a strong reputation for mentorship. The authors asked each to identify a key mentor (senior mentor) and mentee, grouping them in triads of a senior mentor, mentor, and mentee. The authors then submitted a similar survey to the mentee. Results: Thirteen mentor-mentee pairs for which both members had responded were included. After reviewing responses to these questions, the authors elicited a number of recurring themes. All respondents emphasized the importance of mentorship to their success in academic plastic surgery. Additional themes included encouraging mentees to find their passion, leading by example, discussing complex cases with residents/students, and using research time as an opportunity. Conclusions: Strong patterns of mentorship are highlighted among the careers of leaders in academic plastic surgery. The authors advocate for formation of mentorship relationships within training programs and more national mentorship programs such as those emerging through the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Plastic Surgery Research Council for interested medical students, residents, and junior faculty.

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The confidence gap: Findings for women in plastic surgery

Cited by 13 publications

References 26 publications

Experiences of Canadian Female Orthopaedic Surgeons in the Workplace

Experiences of Canadian Female Orthopaedic Surgeons in the Workplace

Identifying US Plastic Surgery Training Programs that Effectively Establish Gender and Ethnically Diverse Faculty

The Importance of Mentorship in Shaping the Careers of Academic Leaders in Plastic Surgery

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