Introduction: Urology has experienced significant growth in female representation. The most recent AUA census data estimates women comprise 10% of practicing urologists, and ~30% of trainees. As medicine progresses toward gender equity in the trainee and physician workforce, large disparities in overall compensation, academic positions, and leadership advancement continue to exist. A better understanding of the perceptions of the formal and informal culture among urologists may provide insight into the persistent gender disparities. We sought to evaluate how urologists in various subspecialties view the climate for women physicians and compare perceptions and experiences of gender inequity based on characteristics including gender, subspecialty training, faculty status, parental status, and years in practice.
Methods: An IRB approved survey was sent out to the following list-serves: Society of Urological Oncology (SUO), Society of Endourology (ENDO), Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgeons (GURS), Society of Pediatric Urology (SPU), Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU), and American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS). We utilized a validated study, the Culture Conducive to Women’s Academic Success (CCWAS, higher scores indicating a better perceived culture toward women). Subcategories (equal access, work-life balance, freedom of gender bias, and leadership support) were also analyzed. CCWAS scores were analyzed using Wilcoxon Rank-Sum and Kruskal-Wallace tests.
Results: There were 430 survey responses (35.3% female, 64.7% male). There was a statistically significant difference in total CCWAS scores on the Kruskal-Wallace test for gender, parental status, and society. However, on multiple regression analysis controlling for gender, parental status and society were no longer statistically significant. There was no significant difference in CCWAS scored based on years in practice or private versus academic practice. Male physicians perceived practice culture toward women as more favorable/equitable than their female colleagues, (median [interquartile range] CCWAS score, 203.5 [184.25, 225.0] vs 162.0 [130.75, 188.0]; P<0.0001). This discrepancy in perception between genders was consistent across all subcategories; equal access, work-life balance, freedom of gender bias, and leadership support.
Conclusions: This study suggests that there are gender-based differences in how gender inequities are perceived and experienced in urology. Acknowledgement of these differences is the first step in identifying opportunities for improvement.
.jpg)
.jpg)