Medical Students' Perceptions of Orthopedics as a Career for Women

To determine potential factors influencing female medical students' interest and subsequent application to orthopedics, and to evaluate female and male medical students' perceptions of women in the field of orthopedics.

An institutional review board-approved survey was distributed in March 2020 and subsequently in April 2022 to medical students in the classes of 2023 and 2024 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine. Study data were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture. An e-mail link to the REDCap survey was sent to students across the southeast region of the United States, followed by three reminder e-mails. All 25 allopathic medical schools in the southeastern United States with an Orthopedics Interest Group listed on their institution's Web site were invited to participate in the study. Nine Orthopedics Interest Group leaders interested in participating were asked to provide the researchers with a list of fourth-year medical students who attended an event hosted by that group (215). A total of 39 respondents who completed the survey were included in this study.

Overall, the majority of students (n = 35, 90%) believed that women faced more barriers to a career in orthopedics than did men. The most significant barriers to women entering the field of orthopedics were the perceived expectations of an orthopedic surgeon (n = 34, 87%), difficulty balancing career and family (n = 28, 72%), and demanding schedule (n = 13, 33%).

This study demonstrates that both male and female medical students believe there are significant additional barriers to success for women in the field. Study participants report that expectations set by physicians, other healthcare professionals, and patients contribute to creating greater barriers that deter medical students interested in orthopedics from ultimately applying to the specialty.