Characteristics of women surgeons in the United States.
BACKGROUND
Women surgeons are becoming increasingly prevalent. Despite this, there have been few studies of personal or professional characteristics of US surgeons of either gender.


METHODS
Data were taken from the Women Physicians' Health Study, a nationally representative random sample (n = 4,501 respondents) of US women physicians, and data were analyzed in SUDAAN.


RESULTS
Surgeons were younger, and more likely to be US born, white, unmarried, and childless than were other women physicians; their personal health behaviors were similar to those of others. They worked significantly more clinical hours and call nights, but were not more likely to report feeling that they worked too much, had too much work stress, or had less control of their work environment. Their career satisfaction was similar to that of other women physicians, and satisfaction with their specialty was greater. They were less avid preventionists than were primary care practitioners, and somewhat less avid than other specialists.


CONCLUSIONS
Women surgeons differ in interesting and important ways from other women physicians.
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30303-3219, USA.
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Frank
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Brownstein
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Ephgrave
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Neumayer
D000328:Adult; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008875:Middle Aged; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011897:Random Allocation; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce