According to the AAMC, the gap in medical school graduation rates by sex is closing. In 2019 47.9% of graduates were female (AAMC, 2019). Although this gap is narrowing there continues to be inequity in the medical profession. As Sullivan et al. (2023) state, “professional women in medicine continue to face significant obstacles in promotion, compensation, recognition, and other opportunities, demonstrating the pervasive issue of gender leadership inequity.”
Women get diverted on the promotion pathway and are still rarely seen at higher levels of leadership (e.g., department chair, dean). This is in spite of the fact that women are rated better than men on key leadership capabilities that differentiate excellent leaders from average or poor ones (Zenger and Folkman, 2019).
You are not alone and you are not “overreacting” if you feel frustrated, annoyed, enraged, or numb in response to these facts. Your feelings are valid and it’s healthy to recognize and process them.
It can be draining to navigate systems which thrive on how much revenue you generate, normalize overwork, and penalize those who try to prioritize life outside of work (e.g., friends, family). It’s not healthy and shouldn’t be the norm for you to feel guilty for needing to reschedule a meeting to pick up your sick child from daycare or to be regularly completing documentation after work hours. When the nitty-gritty of your professional worth comes down to how many RVUs you can generate, it can make you second guess your career choice or how you are spending your time.
It is important to approach changing the status quo of the systems in which we work, though that takes time and, likely, a larger movement. Therefore, a place to start is within and around yourself. One strategy is to identify people who can support and validate you.
Who are your people? It’s helpful to have people in both your personal and professional life who are invested in your success.
At work:
- This can include those who work alongside you and with whom you can commiserate and brainstorm. It can be helpful to share tips of how to more deftly navigate the electronic medical record and share note templates.
- Supports can also include informal or formal mentors or sponsors. A sponsor is a person in your professional world who may not closely work with you, but agrees to keep you in mind and speak your name in rooms when leadership positions, awards, and promotions are being considered. Do not hesitate to let those around you know that you would appreciate them keeping you in mind in the future. It is often appropriate to follow-up on this discussion a few months later to see if opportunities have come across their radar that they think you could consider.
Take a few moments this week to consider:
- Who you will check in with in your immediate environment.
- Who you will email as a potential sponsor, as you strive toward career advancement.
References
Association of American Medical Colleges. (2019). Diversity in Medicine: Facts and Figures 2019. https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/workforce/report/diversity-medicine-facts-and-figures-2019
Sullivan, A.B., Hersh, C.M., Rensel, M. et al. (2023). Leadership Inequity, Burnout, and Lower Engagement of Women in Medicine. J Health Serv Psychol 49, 33–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42843-023-00078-9
Zenger, J., and Folkman, J. (2019). Research: Women Score Higher Than Men in Most Leadership Skills. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/06/research-women-score-higher-than-men-in-most-leadership-skills