Renal Transplant Directorate, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
Science Complex, Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, Sunderland, UK.
BMJ Open. 2019 Jan 7;9(1):e024349. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024349.
Surgery remains an inherently male-dominated profession. The aim of this study was to survey women working within the discipline, to understand their current perceptions, providing insight into their practical day-to-day lives, supporting an action-oriented change.
The link to a confidential, online survey was distributed through the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (ASGBI) social media platforms on Facebook and Twitter over a 2-week period in October 2017.
Women working in surgical specialties and actively responding to the link shared through the ASGBI social media platforms. No patients were involved in the study.
Data were analysed through a mixed-methods approach. The quantitative data were analysed through descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis was undertaken using a constant comparative analysis of the participants' comments, to identify salient patterns (themes).
A total of 81 female participants replied (42% response rate based on the Facebook group members), with 88% (n=71) perceiving surgery as a male-dominated field. Over half had experienced discrimination (59%, n=47), while 22% (n=18) perceived a 'glass ceiling' in surgical training. Orthopaedics was reported as the most sexist surgical specialty by 53% (n=43). Accounts of gendered language in the workplace were reported by 59% (n=47), with 32% (n=25) of surveys participants having used it. Overall, a lack of formal mentorship, inflexibility towards part-time careers, gender stereotypes and poor work-life balance were the main perceived barriers for women in surgical careers.
These findings highlight the implicit nature of the perceived discrimination that women report in their surgical careers. The ASGBI acknowledges these perceptual issues and relative implications as the first of many steps to create an action-oriented change by allowing all staff, regardless of gender, to reflect on their own behaviour, perceptions and the culture in which they work.
外科仍然是一个男性主导的职业。本研究的目的是调查从事该学科的女性，了解她们目前的看法，深入了解她们的日常实际生活，为以行动为导向的变革提供支持。
在 2017 年 10 月的两周内，通过英国和爱尔兰外科医生协会（ASGBI）的 Facebook 和 Twitter 等社交媒体平台发布了一个机密的在线调查链接。
在外科专业工作并积极响应通过 ASGBI 社交媒体平台分享的链接的女性。研究中没有涉及患者。
通过混合方法分析数据。对定量数据进行描述性统计分析，对参与者的评论进行定性分析，采用恒定比较分析，以确定明显的模式（主题）。
共有 81 名女性参与者做出了回应（基于 Facebook 群组成员的 42%的回复率），其中 88%（n=71）认为外科是一个男性主导的领域。超过一半的人经历过歧视（59%，n=47），而 22%（n=18）在外科培训中感受到了“玻璃天花板”。骨科被 53%（n=43）的人报告为最性别歧视的外科专业。59%（n=47）的人报告了工作场所中性别化语言的情况，其中 32%（n=25）的调查参与者使用过这种语言。总的来说，女性在外科职业生涯中面临的主要障碍是缺乏正式的指导、对兼职职业的不灵活性、性别刻板印象和工作与生活的不平衡。
这些发现突显了女性在外科职业生涯中报告的隐性歧视。ASGBI 承认这些感知问题和相对影响是采取以行动为导向的变革的第一步，让所有员工，无论性别如何，都可以反思自己的行为、看法以及他们所处的工作文化。
