Closing the Gender Gap: Barriers to Success for Recruitment and Retention of the Female Orthopaedic Surgery Applicant

Abstract

» Orthopaedic surgery reports one of the lowest proportions of female residents among all medical specialties. While the number of female medical students has increased, our field has been particularly slow to respond to the gender gap. » There are several barriers to increased female representation in orthopaedics, including “jock” culture and male dominance, the residency application process, pregnancy and lifestyle concerns, a limited number of mentors and role models, and lack of early exposure to the field. » Organizations such as the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society, The Perry Initiative, Nth Dimensions, and the J. Robert Gladden Society, as well as social media channels, are working to close the gender gap, but there is still more that needs to be done. » By acknowledging and addressing these barriers, both at an individual and institutional level, we can hopefully bring more women into the field. This will ultimately benefit not only ourselves, but our patients as well.