Faculty Collaboration Database

No Room to "Lean In": A Qualitative Study on Gendered Barriers to Promotion and Leadership. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2019 Mar;28(3):393-402

Date

11/28/2018

Pubmed ID

30481114

DOI

10.1089/jwh.2018.7252

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85062960663 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   23 Citations

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The gender gap in professorship and leadership roles persists in academic medicine, whereas reasons for these disparities remain unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Open-ended text responses to a 2013 faculty engagement survey were analyzed by using the grounded theory and consensual qualitative analysis techniques. The authors grouped 491 faculty's text responses into descriptive codes and three themes: (1) No Obstacles, (2) Barriers to Success, and (3) Concerns Regarding Processes. Demographics of codes were compared by using chi-square analysis.

RESULTS: Male faculty identified barriers that included negative views of leadership or leaders. Female faculty, especially those in clinical roles, expressed barriers related to role overload, including that the demands of their current positions prevented advancement or addition of further roles, no matter how desirable further roles may be. Women also shared that considerable self-promotion was required to receive acknowledgement of their work and support by leadership.

CONCLUSION: A proposed framework depicts male and female faculty's concerns on a continuum. No Obstacle and Process Concerns were relatively gender neutral, whereas large gender disparities occurred within the Barriers to Success theme. Women's barriers largely revolved around internal obstacles (I can't do any more), and men's barriers largely revolved around external factors (leaders are impeding my progress). Resources are needed to mitigate work overload specifically for female faculty, and to ensure that all faculty are both engaged in advanced career opportunities and encouraged to pursue leadership positions.

Author List

Ellinas EH, Kaljo K, Patitucci TN, Novalija J, Byars-Winston A, Fouad NA

Authors

Elizabeth H. Ellinas MD Associate Dean, Professor in the Anesthesiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Kristina Kaljo PhD Associate Professor in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Jutta Novalija MD, PhD Professor in the Anesthesiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Teresa Patitucci PhD Associate Professor in the Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Academic Medical Centers
Career Mobility
Faculty, Medical
Female
Humans
Job Satisfaction
Leadership
Male
Mentoring
Physicians, Women
Qualitative Research
Sexism
Surveys and Questionnaires