Gender Differences in the Path to Medical School Deanship
Maya S Iyer1,2, Carol Bradford3, Amy S Gottlieb4,5
1Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus.
JAMA Network Open
|July 5, 2024
Summary
Women in medical school deanships reported needing to work harder and receive less institutional support than men. Addressing these gender disparities through targeted leadership development is crucial for retaining women in these roles.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Leadership Studies
- Gender Studies
Background:
- Women constitute only 28% of current US medical school deans, indicating a significant gender disparity.
- Understanding the differing pathways and experiences of men and women in leadership roles is essential for addressing this imbalance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and compare the leadership development experiences of women and men on their journey to becoming medical school deans.
- To elucidate factors contributing to the underrepresentation of women in academic medical leadership.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with 17 women and 17 men deans from US medical schools.
- Interviews explored leadership development, career trajectories, institutional support, and encountered biases.
- Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis to identify emergent themes.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found between genders in years to deanship, years as dean, salary, or medical school rankings.
- Women deans reported needing to work harder, receiving less institutional support and fewer leadership opportunities compared to their male counterparts.
- Women deans more frequently utilized external leadership development programs and encountered gender bias during the search process.
Conclusions:
- Women aspiring to deanships face unique challenges, including systemic biases and lack of institutional support, necessitating greater proactivity and external development.
- These barriers can lead to burnout and attrition, potentially impacting the future pipeline of women leaders in academic medicine.
- Institutions must implement targeted initiatives to support women's leadership development and mitigate gender-based barriers to promote equity in medical school deanships.
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