Gender Experiences of Training and Practicing Orthopaedic Surgeons in Australia: A Mixed Methods Study

Orthopaedic surgery remains Australia's least gender-diverse medical specialty. Despite extensive global literature on barriers to gender equity, no prior study has applied an established gender bias instrument to assess gender bias in Australian orthopaedics.

A national mixed methods study was conducted comprising a cross-sectional survey and semi-structured interviews. Eligible participants included all practising orthopaedic surgeons and trainees in Australia. The survey utilised an adapted version of the 47-item Gender Bias Scale and was distributed via the Australian Orthopaedic Association and departmental mailing lists. Interviewees were recruited from survey volunteers and were undertaken to provide explanatory depth and contextualisation to the survey findings.

163 orthopaedic surgeons and trainees (85 male, 78 female) completed the survey. Female participants were significantly more likely to report barriers across the male culture and unequal standards domains. Twenty of the 47 GBS items showed significant gender differences (p < 0.05). Ten follow-up interviews were conducted. Contextualised insights explained the implications of male-dominated culture for women and added nuance to themes including salary inequality and family life.

This study presents Australian data on key barriers to gender equity in orthopaedics, providing an evidence base for future policy. Achieving progress will require more than increasing representation. It will take thoughtful policy and continuous effort to address structural and attitudinal barriers.