Background: OB-GYN
has significantly more women in training and in practice. Previous research
cites this gender imbalance as a reason for decreased student interest
among men. No study has elaborated on the reasons why gender influences
interest in this specialty.
Methods: We
performed a mixed methods analysis on survey data from MS3/MS4 students to
determine how gender influences perceptions of an OB-GYN career choice.
Results: A 51%
(90/176) response rate was achieved (45% male, 54% female, 1% other). Both men
and women considered the current gender gap undesireable (95% vs 89%, p = .68).
Among men, negative themes included stigma from providers and patients,
perceptions of limited career opportunities, and perceived difficulty relating
to patients. Among women responses included female empowerment and ease of
connecting with patients despite preference for a more gender-balanced
specialty. Male students not pursuing OB-GYN more often decided before medical
school (p = .03), while women more often determined this after their third-year
clerkship (p = .04).
Discussions: Our study suggests that
the gender gap negatively influences opinions of OB-GYN for all students. Men
believed their gender negatively impacts career opportunities and patient
relationships. Women viewed the gender gap negatively and desired equal gender
representation, but they also perceived it to be an example of women empowering
other women. Career counseling to increase male interest may benefit from
targeted responses to these insights.
Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2019, Faculty, Clerkship Director, Residency Director, Professionalism, Practice-Based Learning & Improvement, GME, UME, General Ob-Gyn,
Cindy Zhang,
BS, University
of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine; Richard
Silver, MD
