The following is a summary of “Career satisfaction in women surgeons: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in the November 2023 issue of Surgery by Pearson, et al.

Career satisfaction among women surgeons has been extensively documented in the literature. For a study, researchers sought to provide a comprehensive review to understand career satisfaction and its contributing factors among female surgeons.

The study followed PRISMA guidelines for systematic review and meta-analysis. Outcomes assessed included surgical career satisfaction, career reconsideration, work-life balance, and experiences of gender bias and discrimination (GBD). Odds ratios were calculated to compare women to men for each outcome.

The findings of the study revealed that female surgeons were less likely to endorse overall career satisfaction (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.55–0.85) and work-life balance satisfaction (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.40–0.92) compared to their male counterparts. Moreover, women surgeons were more likely to report experiences of gender bias and discrimination in the workplace (OR, 13.82; 95% CI, 4.37–43.65).

The study suggested that future interventions may be necessary to enhance career and work-life balance satisfaction among women surgeons. It emphasized the importance of addressing gender bias and discrimination in the workplace while ensuring that female surgeons are well-informed about the obligations associated with a surgical career.

Source: americanjournalofsurgery.com/article/S0002-9610(23)00331-8/fulltext