Myers Sara P, Hill Katherine A, Nicholson Kristina J, Neal Matthew D, Hamm Megan E, Switzer Galen E, Hausmann Leslie R M, Hamad Giselle G, Rosengart Matthew R, Littleton Eliza B
Department of General Surgery, The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Department of General Surgery, The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
J Surg Res. 2018 Aug;228:127-134. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2018.02.043. Epub 2018 Apr 7.
Women surgeons continue to face unique challenges to professional advancement. Higher attrition rates and lower confidence among female surgical residents suggest that experiences during residency differ by gender. Few studies have investigated gender-specific experiences during training. This study identifies gender-based differences in the experiences of general surgery residents that could affect professional development.
Male and female general surgery residents at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center participated in a semi-structured interview study exploring the significance of gender in training. Recurring themes were identified from transcribed interviews using inductive methods. Two individuals independently coded interviews. Themes were compared for male and female residents. Certain themes arose with greater frequency in reference to one gender over the other.
Twenty-four male and eighteen female residents participated (87.5%) in the study. Fewer female residents self-identified as a "surgeon" (11.1% versus 37.5%, P < 0.001). Residents felt that patients and physicians more frequently disregarded female residents' professional role (P < 0.001). Female residents also more often mentioned perceiving aggressive behaviors from attendings and support staff (9% versus 1% and 10% versus 3%, respectively). Relative to men, women more often mentioned lack of mentorship (0% versus 8%), discomfort (4% versus 8%), feeling pressured to participate in unprofessional behaviors (2% versus 5%), and having difficulty completing tasks (5% versus 10%, P < 0.001).
Women experience gender-based challenges during surgical training. Further investigation is needed to determine how these experiences affect professional development.
女外科医生在职业发展上面临着独特的挑战。女性外科住院医师的流失率更高，信心更低，这表明住院医师培训期间的经历因性别而异。很少有研究调查培训期间特定性别的经历。本研究确定了普通外科住院医师经历中可能影响职业发展的基于性别的差异。
匹兹堡大学医学中心的男性和女性普通外科住院医师参与了一项半结构化访谈研究，探讨性别在培训中的重要性。使用归纳法从访谈记录中识别出反复出现的主题。两名研究人员独立对访谈进行编码。比较男性和女性住院医师的主题。某些主题在提及一种性别时比另一种性别出现得更频繁。
24名男性和18名女性住院医师（87.5%）参与了该研究。较少有女性住院医师将自己视为“外科医生”（11.1%对37.5%，P<0.001）。住院医师们认为患者和医生更频繁地忽视女性住院医师的专业角色（P<0.001）。女性住院医师也更常提到感觉到上级医生和辅助人员的攻击性行为（分别为9%对1%和10%对3%）。相对于男性，女性更常提到缺乏导师指导（0%对8%）、不适（4%对8%）、感到有压力参与不专业行为（2%对5%）以及完成任务有困难（5%对10%，P<0.001）。
女性在外科培训期间经历了基于性别的挑战。需要进一步调查以确定这些经历如何影响职业发展。
