Perceptions of the gender fairness of the medical education environment

Many medical institutions are making an effort to create "gender-fair" environments. Perceptions of the current state of the environment may have implications for progress toward this goal. We surveyed faculty, housestaff, and medical students at the University of Virginia School of Medicine (UVASOM) to determine their perceptions of the status of women at that institution. The results showed that women perceived their environment as significantly more inequitable and sexist than their male counterparts did. Women faculty perceived significantly more inequity and sexism than women housestaff or students. Comments from both women and men at UVASOM focused on the need to eliminate discrimination of all kinds and to recruit more women faculty as leaders, mentors, and role models. The UVASOM is now implementing recommendations that should significantly reduce the discrepancy in perceptions of its environment.