Physician and Trainee Experiences with Hijab Wear and Demonstration of a Surgical Hijab Prototype

Physician and trainee experiences with hijab wear in the operating room and associated challenges impact wellness in the workplace.

To evaluate physician and trainee experiences with hijab wear and associated barriers in the operating room, and to devise a suitable alternative to current coverage options. A survey-based, cross-sectional analysis of female physicians and trainees who observe hijab in the operating room in the US was performed using convenient-sampling methods. Inclusion criteria included Muslim women who wear hijab and are currently practicing in an operating room setting, a resident or fellow in a surgical specialty, or a medical student.

Seventy-five survey respondents, 45 physicians and 30 medical students, were included. A majority of physicians reported an academic clinical practice setting (66.7%) and hospital-based operating room setting (60.0%). Overall, 33.3% of physicians and 26.7% of medical students remove their hijab for the operating room. Bouffant caps were most frequently worn (62.2% of physicians and 53.3% of medical students) in place of or over their hijab. More than half of respondents are unsatisfied with their current amount of hair, neck, and arm coverage in the operating room. The majority of comments made about hijab wear in the surgical setting pertained to the sterility of the hijab.

This study highlighted challenges faced by female physicians and medical students who observe hijab in the operating room. We introduce a novel, facility-laundered hijab for sterile areas in healthcare facilities to increase workplace satisfaction and inclusivity while maintaining patient safety.