Experiences of Women Faculty in an Academic Medical Center

Women faculty face different obstacles in academic medical careers than their men counterparts. Women faculty report feeling like "outsiders" and experiencing multiple barriers to career advancement compared with men, especially if they hold a nonmedical degree (e.g., PhD). This study examined aspects of workplace culture that differentially impact women at a large regional academic medical center (AMC) in the Appalachian region of the United States-a geographic area that is largely understudied in this body of literature.

Forty-seven women completed a survey that included the Culture Conducive to Women's Academic Success instrument, the Professional Fulfillment Index, the Work and Family Conflict scale, and items measuring burnout, childcare availability, and demographic factors.

Our findings revealed that many women faculty felt that they were being treated differently than men faculty, that work infringed on their home and family life, and that while they were professionally fulfilled at work, childcare problems exacerbated feelings of wanting to leave that AMC. About 60% of our sample indicated some level of burnout.

These findings align with previous findings that women juggle multiple roles that are typically not expected of men, and this juggling may be one reason why women are not staying in academic medicine or being promoted at the same rate as men. We provide incremental validity for the measures used and delineate specific ideas for improvement, such as on-site childcare, standardized leave policies, and formal mentorship and curriculum programs.