Factors Influencing the Choice of Surgical Specialties Among Female Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in...

Although several barriers that discourage women physicians from pursuing surgical careers have been described, the factors that dissuade female medical students from choosing surgery during their training remain insufficiently understood.

This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, exploratory study approach among female medical students in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. Data were collected through a non-probability convenience sample between November 2022 and March 2023 using an online questionnaire.

A total of 584 valid responses were analyzed. Most respondents (75.5%) had considered pursuing a surgical career at some point, with initial interest most commonly arising before medical school admission. No statistically significant association was found between stage of training progression and interest in surgery (p = 0.564). The primary reason for abandoning interest in surgery was dissatisfaction with the perceived lifestyle associated with the specialty. Overall, 59.6% of participants reported perceiving gender as a limiting factor in surgical careers. A substantial majority (75.9%) indicated they would be more likely to pursue a surgical career if there were greater female representation among faculty. Additionally, 70.2% reported experiencing gender bias during medical school, with many incidents attributed to faculty members. Faculty engagement and institutional support emerged as key strategies to promote greater female participation in surgery.

Despite the limitations inherent to the sample and study design, the findings highlight multiple factors contributing to the underrepresentation of women in surgical specialties and underscore the critical role of the educational environment in shaping career trajectories. These results may contribute to broader national discussions, given the shared curricular framework among Brazilian medical schools.