Common Types of Gender-Based Microaggressions in Medicine

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Social Sciences in Medicine
• Gender Studies in Medicine

Background:

• Microaggressions, subtle behaviors from unconscious bias, may perpetuate gender disparities in medicine.
• Identifying common microaggressions is crucial for addressing inequities faced by women faculty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify prevalent microaggressions experienced by women faculty in academic medicine.
• To determine if demographic factors influence the reported frequency of these microaggressions.

Main Methods:

• Chain referral sampling used to gather real-life anecdotes from women faculty nationwide.
• Thirty-four microaggression scenarios were scripted, reenacted in videos, and evaluated by faculty alongside control videos.
• Video evaluations conducted from 2016 to 2018 involving 124 faculty participants across 4 academic medical centers.

Main Results:

• Women faculty reported significantly higher frequencies of microaggressions compared to men across 33 of 34 scenarios.
• No significant demographic differences (age, race, rank, years in practice) were found in microaggression reporting.
• Identified themes included sexism, pregnancy/childcare bias, underestimated abilities, inappropriate comments, mundane tasks, and exclusion.

Conclusions:

• Microaggressions are a significant issue disproportionately affecting women in medicine.
• Awareness of common microaggressions can inform targeted interventions to reduce disparities.
• Addressing these subtle biases is essential for promoting equity in academic medicine.