Recent analyses have suggested that more general surgeons will be needed in the future, but fewer medical students are entering surgery residencies, according to background information in the article. About half of all entering medical students are women, who have historically been less likely to choose surgery as a career.
Debra A. Gargiulo, M.D., and colleagues at the University of Vermont, Burlington surveyed 298 Vermont physicians and medical students. Of the 141 who completed the survey, there were 90 women and 60 men, including 31 attending physicians (16 general surgeons and 15 obstetrician/gynecologists), 16 residents and 94 medical students. Sixty-four percent of men and 53 percent of women indicated that were interested in a surgery career before their surgical rotation. Respondents were asked to select their top three deterrents to a surgical career. Findings included:
The results suggest that lifestyle concerns should be addressed to attract both men and women to surgery, the authors write. "However, our results also suggest that there exists a male culture in surgery that needs to be confronted because it is a significant factor deterring women from a career in surgery … Surgery remains a 'macho field'," they conclude. "Surgeons need to critically assess the nature of their interactions with students and provide an environment more conducive to women."
(Arch Surg. 2006;141:405-408. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org .)
Archives of Surgery