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. 2023 Nov;37(16):3496-3501.
doi: 10.1038/s41433-023-02543-7. Epub 2023 Apr 27.

Gender related trends among Israeli ophthalmologists professional career and personal life performance

Irina S Barequet  1   2 , Amir Rosenblatt  3   4 , Michal Schaap Fogler  3   5 , Tamar Pedut-Kloizman  6 , Dan Gaton  3   5 , Anat Loewenstein  3   4 , Zohar Habot-Wilner  3   4
Affiliations

Gender related trends among Israeli ophthalmologists professional career and personal life performance

Irina S Barequet et al. Eye (Lond). 2023 Nov.

Abstract

Background: Gender-diversity trends in ophthalmology in Israel have not been studied despite a high proportion of female ophthalmologists. Our purpose was to evaluate gender-related trends in ophthalmology professional career and personal life performance in early and advanced careers in Israel.

Methods: A survey based on a nationwide voluntary anonymous web questionnaire was distributed to the members of the Israeli Ophthalmological Society. The questionnaire included questions referring to professional career and personal life performance. Gender differences were analyzed.

Results: Out of 252 respondents, 116 (46%) were women, with a mean age of 47.97 + -11.3 and 53.18 + -12.4 (P = 0.01) years, respectively. Marital status, post-residency fellowship performance or duration, an additional academic degree, academic appointments, and managerial positions were similar between genders. Fellowship predominance of males was found in cornea/cataract/refractive and of females in strabismus, pediatric ophthalmology, and neuro-ophthalmology (P < 0.01, P = 0.032, respectively). Men had significantly more publications and appointments in peer review journals and work hours (P = 0.04 and P = 0.02, P = 0.027, respectively). Both genders responded similarly regarding work satisfaction, combination between family life and work. More women felt inequity during and post-residency in clinical (P = 0.011, P = 0.001, respectively) and surgical work (P = 0.001, P = 0.035, respectively). More women experienced inappropriate remarks from patients and sexual harassment (P = 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively), and supported the need for affirmative action (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Several gender disparities were found among ophthalmologists in Israel, including subspecialties distributions, publications, appointments in peer review journals, working hours, work inequity sense, harassment events, and support the need for affirmative action.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The stratification of the number of children during the ophthalmologist’s career by gender.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The stratification of working hours per week by gender.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Number of publications in peer-reviewed journals among genders.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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