Gender role incongruency in general surgery applicants

Deviation of an individual outside of gender normative stereotypes can limit hiring and promotion. The application, interview, and ranking process for medical students pursuing a general surgery residency has multiple opportunities for gender bias to affect an applicant's acceptance. This study examines medical students applying for a top academic general surgery residency and potential bias in perceived gender roles.

269 medical students were interviewed for categorical positions at an academic general surgery residency. Applicants described themselves in one word; adjectives were compiled and categorized as grindstone, ability, communal, or agentic traits. Groups were compared across applicant gender and race.

42% of applicants were women. When comparing gender, men applicants were more likely to use a grindstone/communal adjective (73.2% vs 57.1%, p = 0.006). Men applicants were less likely to identify with an agentic adjective (21% vs 35%).

Contrary to gender stereotypes, women general surgery residency applicants tend to self-identify using ability/agentic adjectives more than men applicants. Bias training is important to mitigate the negative consequences of perceived traditional gender role-violation.