The Value of Speaking up.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Gender Studies in Medicine

Background:

• The #MeToo in Surgery symposium presents narratives from women surgeons.
• These accounts detail experiences of discrimination and harassment within surgical training.
• Such issues are not historical but continue to affect surgeons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reflect on the experiences of women surgeons.
• To raise awareness about ongoing discrimination and harassment in surgery.
• To advocate for a necessary cultural shift in the surgical field.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of personal narratives.
• Symposium contributions from women surgeons.
• Discussion of experiences over the last 30 years.

Main Results:

• Courageous sharing of difficult stories by women surgeons.
• Confirmation that discrimination and harassment persist in surgical training.
• Identification of the need for cultural change.

Conclusions:

• The narratives reveal the persistent reality of discrimination and harassment in surgery.
• Immediate cultural change is essential to address these ongoing issues.
• These experiences are critical for all surgeons to acknowledge and reflect upon.