title: Women in senior post-graduate medicine career roles in the UK: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This qualitative study sought to elicit the views, experiences, career journeys and aspirations of women in senior post-graduate medical education roles to identify steps needed to help support career progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth semi-structured telephone interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Purposive sample of 12 women in a variety of senior leadership roles in post-graduate medical education in the UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self reported motivating influences, factors that helped and hindered progress, key branch points, and key educational factors and social support impacting on participants' career in postgraduate medicine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents often reported that career journeys were serendipitous, rather than planned, formal or well structured. Senior women leaders reported having a high internal locus of control, with very high levels of commitment to the NHS. All reported significant levels of drive, although the majority indicated that they were not ambitious in the sense of a strong drive for money, prestige, recognition or power. They perceived that there was an under-representation of women in senior leadership positions and that high-quality female mentorship was particularly important in redressing this imbalance. Social support, such a spouse or other significant family member, was particularly valued as reaffirming and supporting women's chosen career ambition. Factors that were considered to have hindered career progression included low self-confidence and self-efficacy, the so-called glass ceiling and perceived self-limiting cultural influences. Factors indirectly linked to gender such as part-time versus working full time were reportedly influential in being overlooked for senior leadership roles. Implications of these findings are discussed in the paper.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social support, mentorship and role modelling are all perceived as highly important in redressing perceived gender imbalances in careers in post-graduate medical education.
authors.affiliation: Health Education England South West, Bristol BS16 1GW, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.affiliation: Health Education England South West, Bristol BS16 1GW, UK; General Practice Gloucestershire, Department of Postgraduate Medical Education, Sandford Education Centre, Cheltenham, GL53 7PX, UK.
authors.forename: Lizzie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eley
authors.affiliation: Health Education England South West, Bristol BS16 1GW, UK; UWE, Bristol, BS16 1QY, UK.
authors.forename: Selena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Health Education East of England, Cambridge CB21 5XB, UK.
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Irish
keywords: careers; postgraduate medicine; qualitative study; women in medicine