It’s one of the last bastions of high-profile, male dominance: surgeons.
Ironically, statistics tell us that there are more female doctors than ever before. In fact, more than half of all American medical students are now women. And yet only 6 per cent are considering careers in surgery.
The ongoing disparity is enough of an issue that USF and Tampa General Hospital are jointly sponsoring a national symposium focusing on the challenges confronting women surgeons seeking to advance in a male-dominated field. The National Women In Surgery symposium, aimed primarily at physicians, residents and medical students, will be Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Don CeSar Hotel on St. Pete Beach.
The barriers cited as typical deterrents include lack of role models, perceptions about an “old boys’ club” culture and sexual discrimination, and a work environment unfriendly to family life.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Julie Freischlag, vascular surgeon and chair of surgery at Johns Hopkins.
“Over time, as more women in the medical education pipeline enter surgical programs and stay, they will feel more comfortable assuming leadership roles,” says Dr. Freischlag. “If women really want to change the rules and advance, they have to be in charge to do it.”