Has a critical mass of women resulted in gender equity in gynecologic surgery?

Abstract

Gender equity in medicine and surgery has recently received widespread attention. Unlike surgical specialties that remain predominantly male, the majority of obstetrician-gynecologists have been women for nearly a decade, and women have composed the majority of trainees since the 1990s. Despite a critical mass of women, biases related to gender persist in the field. Professional and behavioral expectations of men and women gynecologists remain different for patients and workplace colleagues. Gender discrimination and sexual harassment are still experienced at high rates by both trainees and obstetrician-gynecologists in practice. In addition, in other surgical fields, women gynecologic surgeons face a gender wage gap that is unexplained by differences in experience, hours worked, or subspecialty training. Academic advancement and the attainment of leadership positions remain a challenge for many women. Policies related to pregnancy and parenting may disproportionately affect the careers of women gynecologists. This article presents peer-reviewed evidence relevant to gender equity in the workplace and suggests proactive interventions to ensure diversity and inclusion for gynecologic surgeons.

Keywords: gender disparities; gender disparities in leadership; gender harassment; gender wage gap; gynecologic surgery; professionalism.