Gender bias, job satisfaction, and burnout among surgeons: Evidence from Korea

This study examines the relationships between formal and informal gender bias and burnout among surgeons, and it assesses whether job satisfaction mediates these associations differently for women and men. We conducted a nationwide survey of practicing surgeons in Korea, and the primary exposures were experiences of formal gender bias (e.g., hiring, pay, promotion, and leadership opportunities) and informal gender bias (e.g., exclusion from networks, limited access to resources, and derogatory or gendered comments). Key outcome variables were overall job satisfaction and burnout. Analyses were stratified by gender, and mediation models were used to explore indirect pathways through job satisfaction.

Women surgeons reported substantially higher exposure to formal (62.5% vs. 11.3%) and informal (83.9% vs. 19.2%) gender bias than men. For both women and men, formal gender bias was associated with lower job satisfaction, and the relationship between formal gender bias and burnout appeared to operate indirectly through job satisfaction. Informal gender bias was also associated with lower job satisfaction for both genders. For men, informal gender bias retained a direct positive association with burnout after accounting for job satisfaction, while for women the association between informal gender bias and burnout was consistent with an indirect pathway through job satisfaction.

Gender bias is strongly linked to burnout among surgeons, operating largely through job satisfaction but with important gender-specific differences. Organizational strategies that enhance equity and job satisfaction may reduce burnout, while targeted efforts to address informal, interpersonal bias are needed to further mitigate burnout risk.