Gender differences in the self-assessment of surgical residents.
BACKGROUND
Despite equivalent performance as assessed by objective external measures, women tend to underestimate their abilities compared with their male counterparts.


METHODS
The difference in ordinal values from faculty and resident self-evaluations was calculated for each general and plastic surgery resident. Objective external performance measures were compared for female and male residents.


RESULTS
Male and female residents performed equivalently. All residents underestimated their abilities compared with faculty assessment; however, general surgery residents did so to a greater degree (P < .05). Female residents demonstrated a greater degree of underestimation than did their male colleagues; however, this was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Although female resident surgeons are generally confident in their abilities, this may be in contrast to the self-perception of many female medical students. Consideration of gender differences in self-perception may be important when providing feedback to female students and residents.
Minter
Rebecca M
RM
Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. rmintter@umich.edu
Gruppen
Larry D
LD
Napolitano
Kelly S
KS
Gauger
Paul G
PG
D002983:Clinical Competence; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000193:education*