Gender Matters: Understanding Transitions in Surgical Education.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Gender Studies in Medicine

Background:

• Transitions are critical for medical career progression and professional identity.
• Effective navigation of transitions impacts well-being, belonging, and engagement.
• The experiences of female surgeons during career transitions require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the gendered transitions experienced by female surgeons.
• To understand the impact of these gendered transitions on female surgeons' professional and personal lives.
• To apply Multiple and Multidimensional Transitions (MMT) theory to analyze these experiences.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study using narrative inquiry.
• Semi-structured interviews with 29 female surgeons across nine surgical specialties in Ireland and Scotland.
• Framework analysis of interview data.

Main Results:

• Three primary gendered transitions were identified: work, culture, and health.
• These gendered transitions significantly impacted social, academic, and psychological domains for female surgeons.
• Education and geography transitions were experienced similarly by both genders.

Conclusions:

• Multiple gendered transitions interact and impact female surgeons throughout their careers.
• These transitions affect not only surgeons but also their family members and support networks.
• Healthcare educators and policymakers must enhance support systems for female surgical trainees by understanding gendered transition impacts.