Women in surgery: do we really understand the deterrents?
OBJECTIVE
Women are deterred from a surgical career owing to a lack of role models rather than lifestyle considerations.


METHODS
Survey.


METHODS
University teaching hospital.


METHODS
Surgery and obstetrics/gynecology attending physicians, residents, and medical students.


METHODS
Questionnaire.


METHODS
Potential deterrents to a surgical career.


RESULTS
Men and women had a similar interest in a surgical career before their surgical rotation (64% vs 53%, P = .68). A similar percentage developed a mentor (40.0% vs 45.9%, P = .40). Women were far more likely to perceive sex discrimination (46.7% vs 20.4%, P = .002), most often from male attending physicians (33.3%) or residents (31.1%). Women were less likely to be deterred by diminishing rewards (4.4% vs 21.6%, P = .003) or workload considerations (28.9% vs 49.0%, P = .02). They were also less likely to cite family concerns as a deterrent (47.8% vs 66.7%, P = .02) and equally likely to be deterred by lifestyle during residency (83.3% vs 76.5%, P = .22). However, women were more likely to be deterred by perceptions of the "surgical personality" (40.0% vs 21.6%, P = .03) and the perception of surgery as an "old boys' club" (22.2% vs 3.9%, P = .002).


CONCLUSIONS
Men and women are very similar in what they consider important in deciding on a surgical career. Women are not more likely to be deterred by lifestyle, workload issues, or lack of role models. However, the perceived surgical personality and surgical culture is a sex-specific deterrence to a career in surgery for women.
Gargiulo
Debra A
DA
Department of Surgery, University of Vermont, Burlington 05401, USA.
Hyman
Neil H
NH
Hebert
James C
JC
D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000523:psychology*; D013043:Specialties, Surgical; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload