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Background Methods Results Conclusions Previous studies have not elucidated the factors affecting marriage and pregnancy/childbirth. This study identifies whether work characteristics and conditions affect marriage and pregnancy/childbirth among women physicians.This nationwide survey was conducted on women members of three major Japanese medical societies: internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgery.A total of 7747 women participated in this study. Although the mean age at marriage was the same, the age at the first childbirth in all specialties, especially in surgery, was significantly higher than that for the general Japanese population. In addition, being in a junior position, being board‐certified, and working in a workplace other than a university hospital were positively associated with the experience of pregnancy/childbirth, whereas working hours showed no impact.We should change the mindset regarding pregnancy/childbirth and build effective strategies in academic institutions to improve the environment for safer pregnancy/childbirth while advancing careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite a long history of disparities in medicine, women have made significant progress toward gender equity in medical schools, training programs, and many fields in recent years. However, pain medicine has remained behind most specialties in female recruitment and representation. Methods: We reviewed the latest demographic data on practicing physicians, trainees, and applicants with the aim of analyzing gender trends and identifying potential factors contributing to the shortage of women in our specialty. Results: Based on data from the past 10 years, the percentages of women among pain physicians, fellows, and applicants have remained stagnant, in contrast to the increases seen not only in the general medical workforce but also in other interventional specialties. Conclusions: Given these trends, it is likely that persistent gender disparities and biases play a role in preventing women from pursuing careers in pain, and unlikely that the current trajectory will change unless we take steps to address these and other relevant factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, surgery has been considered an inherently "masculine" profession. This persistent stereotype has led to gender inequality in currently practicing surgeons, despite gender parity of newly admitted medical students in North America. Since women began practising medicine in the 19th century, these norms began to be challenged in tandem with the suffragette movement. In the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, pioneering female physicians and surgeons worked together to establish spaces where women would be welcomed and mentored the next generation of female surgeons. In this essay, I highlight prominent women physicians and surgeons that have contributed to the presence of women in the operating room through mentorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maude Abbott was a pioneering female Canadian physician who became a world authority on medical museums and congenital heart disease. Abbott spent almost all her career in highly sexist, discriminatory work environments. This paper reviews Abbott's life and accomplishments, but, more importantly, analyzes her pathway to success in the masculine world of early 20th-century academic pathology. Abbott, though well-trained as a pathologist, never provided clinical service, but instead worked as museum curator at McGill University. She established the International Association of Medical Museums (predecessor to the International Academy of Pathology), edited its journal, and essentially ran the organization. Abbott, surrounded by influential males, dealt differently with each. In general, she recognized that male doctors believed women lacked the gravitas to lead major initiatives but that she could circumnavigate this supposed impediment by co-leading projects with male counterparts, preferably ones too busy to get in her way. She repeatedly used this approach, and by doing most of the work but sharing credit, succeeded in gaining reputation, accomplishment, and advancement. Abbott's pioneering work on congenital heart disease established her as one of the founders of pediatric pathology, and, overall, her career promoted the entry of women physicians into the pathology profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women remain underrepresented in gastroenterology (GI). Studies have identified that a lack of formal mentorship for women contributes to this underrepresentation. While many GI divisions have adopted models for supporting GI fellows and faculty, there is a gap in our knowledge regarding mentorship options for internal medicine (IM) residents interested in GI. Aims: To evaluate representation of women at each level of their career (resident, fellow, and attending) and examine trends in representation of women in GI compared to other IM subspecialties. Methods: We analyzed AAMC Physician Specialty Data Reports to compare gender representation and growth of women representation across all IM subspecialties and residencies from 2007 to 2021. Results: In 2021, 44.3% of IM residents, 37.8% of GI fellows, and 19.7% of actively practicing attending gastroenterologists were women. Since 2007, GI comprised significantly lower proportions of women attendings except for cardiology, and lower representation in fellows, except for cardiology and nephrology, than other IM subspecialties (p < 0.001). There was a consistently higher proportion of women GI fellows than attendings over the past 14 years (p < 0.01). Conclusions: GI has among the lowest representation of women at each career level compared to other IM subspecialties. Given the previously reported preference of gender congruent mentoring, the underrepresentation of senior academic gastroenterologists who are women may be a contributing factor to lower proportions of women trainees choosing to pursue GI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burnout is an occupational stress phenomenon with physical, cognitive and emotional components. Women physicians encounter distinctive factors that contribute to occupational stress and burnout. The physiological underpinnings of burnout and its connection to fertility have been studied primarily through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Among women physicians, both individual and organizational factors related to burnout can result in delays in family planning and infertility. Women physicians considering family planning express concerns about being negatively perceived and the effect on career advancement. Women physicians are more likely to require assisted reproductive technologies and experience complications during pregnancy. An emphasis on early education of reproductive options and use of evidence based psychological interventions during the treatment of infertility can reduce stress and improve outcomes. [Psychiatr Ann. 2024;54(10):e277–e281.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of the study was to identify the psychosocial and contextual markers considered by physicians to personalize care. Methods: An online questionnaire with one open-ended question, asking physicians to describe clinical situations in which they personalized care, was used. Physicians were recruited from March 31, 2023, to August 10, 2023, from three hospitals, five university departments of general practice and six physician organizations in France. Recruitment was conducted through email invitations, with participants encouraged to invite their colleagues via a snowball sampling method. The participants were a diverse sample of French general practitioners and other medical specialists who see patients in consultations or in hospital wards. We extracted the psychosocial and contextual markers considered by physicians to personalize care in each clinical situation. The analysis involved both manual and AI-assisted content analysis using GPT3.5-Turbo (OpenAI). Mathematical models to assess data saturation were used to ensure that a comprehensive list of markers was identified. Results: In total, 1340 people connected to the survey platform and 1004 (75.0%) physicians were eligible for the study (median age 39 years old, IQR 34 to 50; 60.5% women; 67.0% working in outpatient settings), among whom 290 answered the open-ended question. The participants reported 317 clinical situations during which they personalized care. Personalization was based on the consideration of 40 markers: 27 were related to patients' psychosocial characteristics (e.g., patient capacity, psychological state, beliefs), and 13 were related to circumstances (e.g., competing activities, support network, living environment). The data saturation models showed that at least 97.0% of the potential markers were identified. Manual and AI-assisted content analysis using GPT3.5-Turbo were concordant for 89.9% of clinical situations. Conclusions: Physicians personalize care to patients' contexts and lives using a broad range of psychosocial and contextual markers. The effect of these markers on treatment engagement and effectiveness needs to be evaluated in clinical studies and integrated as tailoring variables in personalized interventions to build evidence-based personalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of violence against healthcare workers in emergency departments and identify solution approaches. The research, utilizing a descriptive design, was conducted with 149 health workers employed in the emergency units of a research hospital. Data were collected using a survey form constructed based on the literature. Participants' 92.6% experienced some form of violence, with 92.8% of these individuals subjected to verbal abuse. The main causes of violence were identified as the perpetrator justifying their behaviour (42.0%), refusal of requests such as prescriptions or reports (50.0%), and dissatisfaction with treatment (41.3%). 40.6% of health workers filed a code white report, and 36.2% stated that no action was taken against the aggressor.83.9% of health workers indicated that legislation, 70.5% code white, and 55.0% reported inadequate security measures. Health workers suggested implementing deterrent penalties (18.1%) and increasing security measures (17.4%) to reduce violence. A significant difference was found between professional experience and exposure to violence, as well as the types of violence encountered. Additionally, an important significant difference was identified between the profession and the gender of the perpetrator of violence. While physicians and other professional groups are generally subjected to violence by men, nurses and midwives experience violence from both women and men, as well as both genders together (p<0.05). The study found that emergency department health workers face high rates of violence and existing measures are inadequate. In this context, it is recommended to review existing legal regulations, ensure continuous and visible security, and enhance the effectiveness of code white protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous literature has shown that women physicians are less likely to be involved in medical malpractice litigation than male physicians. Methods: This study sought to examine the differences in malpractice experience by provider gender by using closed medical malpractice claims from 2011 through 2020. Results: We found that after adjusting for the number of claims and dollar losses per full time equivalents worked, female physicians experienced fewer and less costly claims than male physicians (p <.001). Specific specialties had a significant relationship between claim frequency and provider gender, which included general surgery (p =.01), obstetrics (p =.001), gynecology (p =.04), internal medicine and family general practice (p <.001). Conclusion: The results from this analysis support the prior findings that male physicians experience a higher rate of malpractice claims. Therefore, there is an opportunity to learn how women providers achieve lower malpractice risk to inform clinical practice recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Female patients strongly prefer female primary care physicians. • Female primary care physicians have less appointment availability than males. • Compared to males, Black and Hispanic women have less access to female physicians. Patient preferences for physicians may be influenced by shared characteristics such as gender. We analyzed experimental data from a survey of US adults in which respondents were asked to choose between physician profiles that on average varied only by gender. We find that female patients prefer female physicians to male physicians by 51.8 percentage points (95 % CI: 0.470 to 0.566, p < 0.01), and that result holds across Black, White, and Hispanic sub-groups. With no countervailing preference among male patients, this result holds in the overall sample at 26.8 percentage points (95 % CI: 0.228 to 0.307, p < 0.01). We also analyzed data from a simulated patient field experiment concerning access to primary care appointments and find that female physicians, on average, offer appointments 7.1 days later than male physicians (95 % CI: 5.1 to 9.1, p < 0.01), consistent with the finding that female physicians are preferred. Female physicians' offices appear to favor female patients, offering appointments to them 2.6 days earlier compared to male patients (95 % CI: -5.3 to 0.195, p = 0.07). However, Hispanic female patients were offered 4.2-percentage-points fewer appointments compared to Hispanic males (95 % CI: -0.069 to -0.014, p < 0.01) by female physicians' offices. Similarly, Black female patients were told that the physician is "not taking new patients" 3.5 percentage points more often (95 % CI: -0.004 to 0.073, p = 0.08) and were offered appointments that were 2.6 minutes shorter compared to Black males (95 % CI: -4.8 to -0.44, p = 0.02). Overall, our analysis suggests that female primary care physicians are in high demand relative to their supply, and that access to scarce female physicians is mediated by race and ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines industry payments to dermatologists from 2017 to 2021 using data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments database. The study reveals that a total of $278 million in industry payments were made to dermatologists during this period. It emphasizes the importance of dermatologists reviewing their public profiles in the database to ensure accuracy. The article discusses the prevalence of financial relationships between physicians and industry and its implications for patient care. It also explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on payments, sex disparities in payment amounts, and the concentration of payments among a small group of top-compensated dermatologists. The article acknowledges limitations in the data and calls for further research on the topic. [Extracted from the article]

Marion Kenworthy (1891–1980) was a pioneering child psychiatrist, mental hygiene and child guidance leader, and early member of the American Orthopsychiatric Association (now the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice). Throughout her illustrious career, Kenworthy advocated for values in the emerging field of child psychiatry, especially around prevention of mental illness, interdisciplinary collaboration, and social justice. Kenworthy's history provides not only an illustration of the importance of values in the work related to children but also a reminder of perspectives that can get lost in the contemporary focus on individual diagnoses and treatments (especially with pharmaceuticals). The social, cultural, and economic problems encountered by Kenworthy and her contemporaries remain as challenges in the present and the future, ones that require ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration and advocacy. Public Policy Relevance Statement: Kenworthy's history helps to illustrate the rich complexity of child mental health and the perspectives that have been obscured with the push in child psychiatry toward a focus on psychopathology. The work of the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice continues the work conducted by Kenworthy and her colleagues, a reminder of the importance of more explicit advocacy work for all children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the need for gender equity in the field of anaesthesiology and highlights two studies published in Anaesthesia that explore the factors contributing to gender disparity in the workplace and career advancement. The article emphasizes the importance of addressing gender biases and promoting strategies to retain physicians, particularly women, in order to combat the global crisis of physician attrition. It also discusses the impact of workplace environment on mental health, including the higher rates of burnout and suicide among women anaesthetists. The article calls for creating supportive work environments that promote belongingness and confidence for all physicians, and recognizes the benefits of gender equity for men as well. [Extracted from the article]

In Japan, orthopaedics is one of the medical fields with the lowest proportion of women. This study analyses the change in gender diversity over the past decade and estimates the time required to achieve the 30% gender diversity goal, according to the critical mass in Japan in 2020. We investigated the demographic composition of orthopaedic surgeons in 2020 by age group, the gender ratio of the main clinical fields from 2010 to 2020, and estimated the time required for the bottom 10 (i.e., least diverse) medical departments in Japan to reach the proportion of 30% women. We used simple linear regression analyses to clarify the number of years. In 2020, the population pyramid of orthopaedic surgeons showed that those in their 50s were the largest component with 24.1%, followed by those in their 40s and 30s with 22.3% and 19.4%, respectively. The percentage of women orthopaedic surgeons increased slightly from 4.1% in 2010 to 5.7% in 2020. This means that to achieve the proportion of 30% women at the current annual increase rate, orthopaedics would require up to 160 years, cardiovascular 149 years, and neurosurgery 135 years. Contrary to the recent increase in the number of women physicians, there has been only a slight increase in the number of women orthopaedic surgeons over the past decade. Moreover, the number of young male orthopaedic surgeons has decreased. As current orthopaedic surgeons age and retire, Japan will soon face an overall shortage of orthopaedic surgeons. Issues that must still be addressed in Japanese orthopaedics include educating men and women about gender diversity and bias, changing stereotypes about surgical lifestyles, improving work-life balance, and diligent and collaborative efforts at both the individual and community levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A great deal of work has been carried out by professionals in reproductive medicine in order to raise awareness about fertility preservation (FP) techniques, particularly for women, and to ensure that FP is included in the care of young adults treated for cancer or a pathology requiring gonadotoxic treatment. If the importance of the development of our discipline is obvious, our militancy in favour of FP and our emotional projections must not make us forget that medical thinking must be carried out not only on a case-by-case basis, weighing up the benefit-risk balance, but also without losing sight that conceiving a child with one's own gametes is not a vital issue. The cultural importance given to the genetic link with offspring may bias patients' and physicians' decisions, while other ways of achieving parenthood exist, and are often more effective. Systematic information should be provided on the existence of FP techniques, but this should not lead to their systematic implementation, nor should it obscure that early information will also allow patients to begin projecting themselves in alternative options to become parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The increasing number of women physicians is in contrast to their underrepresentation in academic positions and professional associations. This study aimed to evaluate the status of women physicians in the Japanese Society of Hospital General Medicine (JHGM) based on society membership, board membership, and annual meeting authorship. Methods: A cross‐sectional analysis was conducted. Information on women physicians, society and board membership, and annual meeting authorship was collected. Data from the Japanese Primary Care Association (JPCA) served as the control. The gender of authors with accepted abstracts in the JHGM and JPCA annual meetings was determined by name or Internet search. Results: In the JHGM, 14.2% of members were women physicians, compared to 19.1% in the JPCA (p < 0.001). None of the 21 JHGM board members were women, compared to 20.5% in the JPCA (p < 0.001). The average number of years of experience was significantly higher for the JHGM board members than for the JPCA board members (37.0 vs. 28.1 years, p < 0.001). Women first authors in the 2022–2023 JHGM meeting comprised 17.9%, significantly lower than the 28.4% in the 2023 JPCA meeting (p = 0.002). Similar patterns were seen for women last authors (6.0% in the JHGM vs. 18.8% in the JPCA, p < 0.001) and women chairpersons (17.9% in the JHGM vs. 40.3% in the JPCA, p = 0.036). Conclusions: The JHGM has low women representation in society and board membership, and annual meeting authorship. Strategies are needed to enhance diversity and inclusion by increasing women's participation and leadership in the JHGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent webinar organized by the Pakistan Medical Association discussed the obstacles faced by women physicians in the Pakistani healthcare system. The speakers highlighted the lack of representation of women in healthcare research, leading to a lack of tailored treatments for women-specific conditions and potential misdiagnosis in gender-neutral conditions. Female doctors in Pakistan face challenges such as gender bias, limited career opportunities, and difficulties in maintaining work-life balance. Initiatives like the Women in Medicine program and advocacy efforts by organizations like the Pakistan Medical Association aim to promote inclusivity and gender equality in the healthcare system. Indigenous research, guided by the 4-Rs framework, is also important in addressing local health concerns. [Extracted from the article]

This article explores the challenges and strategies involved in transitioning to retirement for physicians, with a specific focus on late-career radiologists. It emphasizes the importance of preplanning for retirement and acknowledges potential differences in retirement experiences for women and minority physicians. The article suggests that institutions can support retirement transitions by offering flexible phased retirement options and retirement planning programs. Overall, most physicians adapt well to retirement, experiencing improved financial stability, health, and family relationships. The article also includes personal stories from individuals navigating the retirement process, providing insights into the experiences and reflections of those who have gone through this transition. The authors highlight the importance of early retirement planning, adaptability, and finding fulfillment in retirement through a balance of work and leisure activities. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on historical injustices in medicine, particularly the perpetuation of sexist ideas over two centuries. Topics discussed include biases against women in medicine, reproductive biology's portrayal, and medical management of intersex conditions, aiming to critique past practices and inform future improvements in medical discourse and practice.

Background: Coaching has been demonstrated to be an effective physician wellness intervention. However, this evidence-based intervention has not yet been widely adopted in the physician community. Documentation and implementation research of interventions to address physician burnout in real world settings is much needed. Objective: Assess the impact of a virtual physician coaching program in women physicians. Design: Pre- and post-intervention surveys administered to participants enrolled in the program (N = 329). Effect size was calculated comparing pre- and post-intervention paired data (N = 201). Participants: 201 women physicians from 40 states in the United States of America and 3 international participants. Interventions: Participants were given access to an 8 week virtual coaching program including eight individual, six small group, and 24 large group sessions. Main measures: Stanford Professional Fulfillment Inventory (PFI) containing categories for assessing professional fulfillment, burnout, and the Clinician Self-Valuation (SV) Scale (a measure of self-compassion). Key results: Burnout was found in 77.1% (N = 155) of participants at baseline, which reduced to 33.3% (N = 67) at completion with large effect size (Cohen's d 1.11). The percentage of participants who endorsed significant professional fulfillment started at 27.4% (N = 55) and improved to 68.2% (N = 137) with a large effect size (Cohen's d 0.95). Self-valuation improved from 17.9% (N = 36) of the participants endorsing a compassionate self-improvement perspective to 64% of the same participants eight weeks later. The self-valuation metric showed a very large effect size (Cohen's d 1.28). Conclusions: Virtual physician coaching programs led by physician coaches can decrease burnout, improve professional fulfillment, and increase self-compassion. Non-institution-based opportunities for coaching available to any physician across the United States and internationally can facilitate access to effective physician well-being interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting with reflexivity: As a Black woman medical student at a predominately white institution, a white woman full professor and deputy editor-in-chief of a journal, and a white woman associate professor with a deep interest in language, we understand that medicine and medical education interpellate each of us as a particular kind of subject. As such, we begin with a narrative grounding in our personal stances. Phenomenon: While there are a growing number of empirical studies of Black physicians' and trainees' experiences of racism, there are still few accounts from a first-person perspective. Black authors of these personal commentaries or editorials, who already experience microaggressions and racial trauma in their work spaces, must put on their academic armor to further experience them in publishing spaces. This study seeks to understand the stances Black physicians and trainees take as they share their personal experiences of racism. Approach: We searched four databases, identifying 29 articles authored by Black physicians and trainees describing their experiences. During initial analysis, we identified and coded for three sets of discursive strategies: identification, intertextuality, and space-time. Throughout the study, we reflected on our own stances in relation to the experience of conducting the study and its findings. Findings: Authors engaged in stance-taking, which aligned with the concept of donning academic armor, by evaluating and positioning themselves with respect to racism and the norms of academic discourse in response to ongoing conversations both within medicine and in the broader U.S. culture. They did this by (a) positioning themselves as being Black and, therefore, qualified to notice and name personal racist experiences while also aligning themselves with the reader through shared professional experiences and goals; (b) intertextual connections to other related events, people, and institutions that they—and their readers—value; and (c) aligning themselves with a hoped-for future rather than a racist present. Personal insights: Because the discourses of medicine and medical publishing interpellate Black authors as Others they must carefully consider the stances they take, particularly when naming racism. The academic armor they put on must be able to not only defend them from attack but also help them slip unseen through institutional bodies replete with mechanisms to eject them. In addition to analyzing our own personal stance, we leave readers with thought-provoking questions regarding this armor as we return to narrative grounding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between select determinants and HCV screening guideline adherence among physicians who provide prenatal care. Research question: What factors may act as determinants of guideline adherence to HCV screening among physicians who provide prenatal care? Methods: We surveyed a national sample of physicians who provided prenatal care in 2021. The survey included questions from the Clinician Guideline Determinant (CGD) questionnaire, demographic characteristics, and medical practice characteristics. We estimated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using semi-Bayesian logistic regression for the association between determinants and guideline adherence. Results: Participants included 224 physicians in the United States who reported providing prenatal care. Most physicians practiced in private practice (65%) and the majority were members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG; 91%). Less than half (43%; 95% CI: 36%–49%) of physicians reported regular use of the HCV screening guideline. Physicians who reported general knowledge about HCV (OR = 9.0, 95% CI 3.1–30) or endorsed agreement with ease of implementation (OR = 8.0, 95% CI 2.7–25) had higher odds of adherence to the HCV screening guideline. Conclusion: Our study suggests that less than half of practicing prenatal care physicians adhere to HCV screening guidelines for pregnant patients. Our results may be useful as a preliminary screening of select determinants of guideline use for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many women grow up dreaming of becoming doctors, preferring specialties that allow more focus on time outside the hospital and on family life. Nowadays, specialties, like gastroenterology, have still a significant gender gap. Methods: Based on this known discrepancy, a web-based questionnaire was designed by the Young Component of the Scientific Committee of the Federation of Italian Scientific Societies of Digestive Diseases 2023 (FISMAD) to examine the current situation of female gastroenterologists in Italy. The survey, designed specifically for this study, was sent by email to all female gastroenterologists and residents gastroenterologists, members of the three major Italian societies of Gastroenterology. Results: A total of 423 female physicians responded to the survey: 325 (76.8%) had full-time employment, and only a few had an academic career (7.2%). The main occupations were outpatient clinics (n = 288, 68%) and diagnostic endoscopy (n = 289, 68.3%); only 175 (41.3%) performed interventional endoscopy. One hundred and forty-seven (34.7%) had the chance to attend a master in advanced or interventional endoscopy, while 133 (31.4%) faced disadvantages that enabled them to attend. Of the 244 (58%) who reported feeling underappreciated, 194 (79.5%) said it was due to gender bias. We found that women doctors considered themselves disadvantaged compared with men doctors due to career opportunities (n = 338), salary negotiations (n = 64), and training opportunities (n = 144). Conclusions: In conclusion, gastroenterology still has a long way to go before approaching greater gender parity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurosurgery is historically a specialty with a wide male predominance. Interventional neuroradiology, considered in many countries to be a subspecialty of neurosurgery (but also radiology and neurology), has never been the setting for this discussion, but the even greater gender inequality of professionals working in this area is well known. Aims: The initial objective of this research was to describe the personal and professional profile of the few women in Brazil who practise neurosurgery and interventional neuroradiology, and the difficulties they encountered throughout their careers just because they are women. However, the shocking stories they experienced led the team to expand searches around the world, obtaining data from some other countries, mainly in South America. Machismo, harassment, misogyny, discrimination and wage inequality go beyond borders. Discussion: Current times do not allow these situations anymore, but which, according to the narrative descriptions of 28 interventional neuroradiology women interviewed, still occur very frequently. A more inclusive vision must be sought by interventional neuroradiology societies, and it is up to the leaders to take care of those who need more attention (which does not mean they are more fragile). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What does it mean that hospitals in Haiti have become widespread sites of "kidnapping" for mothers and babies? In at least 46 countries, including Haiti, indebted patients are extralegally held prisoner in hospitals until family members, kin, outside groups, or charities pay their outstanding bills. The majority of those detained globally are women following complicated births. This article introduces and situates the global problem of "hospital detention" as it is practiced in Haiti, tying it to transnational architectures that target Black reproduction in global health. In this piece, Senisha and Mari share their experiences of detention, revealing the practice as continuous with other forms of coercion, neglect, and violence they face in seeking safe births, and highlighting the communal care, refusals, and acts of self‐liberation that oppose these oppressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The European League Against Rheumatism recommends that the disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus should be stable before pregnancy because complications and disease flares increase if pregnancy occurs while disease activity is high. However, some patients have ongoing serological activity even after treatment. Herein, we investigated how physicians decide on the acceptability of pregnancy in patients showing only serological activity. Methods: A questionnaire was administered from December 2020 to January 2021. It included the characteristics of physicians, facilities, and the allowance for pregnancies of patients using vignette scenarios. Results: The questionnaire was distributed to 4946 physicians, and 9.4% responded. The median age of respondents was 46 years, and 85% were rheumatologists. Pregnancy allowance was significantly affected by the duration of the stable period and status of serological activity [duration: proportion difference 11.8 percentage points (p.p.), P < .001; mild activity: proportion difference −25.8 p.p., P < .001; high activity: proportion difference −65.6 p.p., P < .001]. For patients with high-level serological activity, 20.5% of physicians allowed pregnancy if there were no clinical symptoms for 6 months. Conclusions: Serological activity had a significant effect on the acceptability of pregnancy. However, some physicians allowed patients with serological activity alone to become pregnant. Further observational studies are required to clarify such prognoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dr. Bryan McIver, a renowned physician and researcher in the field of endocrinology, has passed away. He was known for his kindness, humility, and dedication to his patients and colleagues. Dr. McIver had a successful career as a clinician and scientist, with major contributions to the field of thyroidology. He held leadership roles at various institutions and was highly respected for his diplomatic and strategic approach to complex medical issues. Dr. McIver was also known for his commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusivity in the medical community. He will be deeply missed by his friends, family, and colleagues. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the gender disparities that exist for women in academic neurology. While the number of women faculty in the field has increased, they still face challenges such as lower average compensation compared to their male counterparts. The pay gap in medicine is not unique to neurology and persists across medical disciplines. Factors such as age, academic rank, specialization, and productivity do not fully explain the salary discrepancy. Women are also underrepresented in leadership positions within academic neurology departments. The article suggests that department leaders should take positive steps to support female faculty, including providing flexibility for caregiving responsibilities, ensuring equitable resources and opportunities, promoting a supportive culture, and actively addressing biases and barriers. [Extracted from the article]

Background and Objectives: Promotion in academic medicine requires evidence of the creation and dissemination of scholarly output, primarily through peer‐reviewed publications. Studies demonstrate that scholarly activity and impact are lower for women physicians than for men physicians, especially during the early stages of their academic careers. This report reviewed physicians' academic productivity after passing their Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine (BBTM) subspecialty exam to determine if gender discrepancies exist. Methods: A cross‐sectional analysis was designed to determine trends in scholarly activity for women physicians versus men physicians in BBTM. Indexed publications were reviewed using iCite, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Portfolio Analysis tool, from 1 January 2017 to 1 December 2021, for BBTM examinees who passed the sub‐speciality fellowship exam in the years 2016 through 2018. Results: Overall, women physicians had statistically significant fewer total career publications (median 6 vs. 9 cumulative papers, p = 0.03). Women published at a lower rate after passing BBTM boards, which was not statistically significant (0.7 vs. 1.3 publications per year). Other statistically significant findings include fewer early‐career BBTM women physicians were first authors compared with men physicians (p = 0.03) and impact as assessed by relative citation ratio was higher for men (p = 0.01). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that there are gender differences in scholarly productivity and impact on early‐career BBTM physicians. Given that this cohort of BBTM physicians are early‐career professionals, the significant difference in first authorship publications between women and men physicians is especially concerning. Publication metrics should be followed to ensure equitable research environments for early‐career BBTM physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the gender disparities in emergency medicine research funding and the need for strategies to support women in this field. It focuses on the efforts of the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) in promoting research activities and supporting women clinician-investigators. AWAEM offers various initiatives, such as funding opportunities, research committees, professional development awards, and recognition programs, to address gender equity in emergency medicine research. The organization aims to increase the number of independent investigators and reduce the gender gap in this field. [Extracted from the article]

Background and Objective: Menopause can be associated with many clinical manifestations: vasomotor symptoms, urogenital problems, and additional psychological disturbances, such as anxiety, mood changes, and sleep alterations. The prolonged lack of hormones also increases the risk of long-term consequences. Hormone Replacement Treatment (HRT) in menopause consists of the administration of estrogen, alone or associated to progesterone, to relieve these uncomfortable disturbances and to prevent the onset of other pathologic conditions. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of HRT use in a sample of menopausal women and their experience with menopause and HRT. This study also investigates the knowledge of general practitioners (GPs) and gynecologists about HRT and its prescription. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional population survey on 126 women of 50–59 years in an industrial city in the North of Italy, Vercelli (Novara), in Eastern Piedmont. We also presented a questionnaire on the topic to 54 medical doctors (GPs and gynecologists) of the same area. Results: The prevalence of HRT use in our sample was 11.9%. In total, a good percentage of the users affirmed to be satisfied with HRT. Additionally, a minority of women reported being ideally against the use of replacement hormones, were advised against using HRT by doctors, and did not use it because of the fear of side effects. We found a positive association between patient education, health care attitude, and HRT usage. A significant number of women knew about HRT from the media, and most of them were not informed by a health professional. Despite this, the interviewed doctors considered their knowledge about HRT as 'good' and would recommend HRT: only 5.6% would not prescribe it. Conclusions: Our results highlight the need for information about HRT among patients and health professionals, along with the need for more effective communication, evaluation, and suggestion of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Introduction: Obesity is often labeled as a physical characteristic of a patient rather than a disease and it is subject to obesity bias by health providers, which harms the equality of healthcare in this population. Objective: Identifying whether obesity bias interferes in clinical decision‐making in the treatment of patients with obesity. Methods: A systematic review of observational studies published between 1993 and 2023 in MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library on obesity bias and therapeutic decisions was carried out. The last search was conducted on June 30, 2023. The main outcome was the difference between clinical decisions in the treatment of individuals with and without obesity. The Newcastle–Ottawa scale for observational studies was used to assess for quality. After the selection process, articles were presented in narrative and thematic synthesis categories to better organize the descriptive analysis. Results: Of the 2546 records identified, 13 were included. The findings showed fewer screening exams for cancer in patients with obesity, who were also susceptible to less frequent pharmacological treatment intensification in the management of diabetes. Women with obesity received fewer pelvic exams and evidence of diminished visual contact and physician confidence in treatment adherence was reported. Some studies found no disparities in treatment for abdominal pain and tension headaches between patients presented with and without obesity. Conclusion: The presence of obesity bias has negative effects on medical decision‐making and on the quality of care provided to patients with obesity. These findings reveal the urgent necessity for reflection and development of strategies to mitigate its adverse impacts. (The protocol was registered with the international prospective register of systematic reviews, PROSPERO, under the number CRD42022307567). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a profession shaped by Whiteness and masculinity, the few Black women physicians who earned medical degrees prior to the Second World War found some of their rare professional opportunities in public health. Though their choices were often constrained by racism and sexism, they embraced public health work as a means of carrying out their "mission" in marginalized communities and as a way of practicing medicine with a more expansive definition than treating individual patients or illnesses. Black women physicians shaped public health by creating unique programming to meet the needs of the communities they served, including mobile health clinics and community health weeks. The first Black women physicians who worked in public health in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries applied the new tool of public health "vital" statistics to Black lives and questioned the limits of their utility when created by White practitioners with racial biases. In the 1930s, some Black women physicians began earning some of the first master's degrees in public health, just as the field was beginning to professionalize. Throughout the twentieth century, Black women physicians pioneered community health programming and, though born from exclusionary policies that limited where they could practice, experimented with alternative clinical spaces, even as the hospital and laboratory became the primary sites of medicine for White clinicians. By embracing public health, Black women physicians shaped the field and used it as a tool to address racial health disparities in the communities they served, acting on their belief that Black health could be improved, thereby contesting notions of biological inferiority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long years of school/training have shown to be associated with infertility and pregnancy complications. Rates of infertility and pregnancy complications were compared among women in demanding professional careers to better understand career differences impacting family planning. Methods: Inclusion criteria : English-speaking, childbearing professional women in surgery, medicine, law, and engineering. Exclusion criteria: men and women not in professional careers mentioned and non-childbearing women. Male-dominated fields identified to select non-medical female professionals. Top medical, law, and engineering schools' female faculty were surveyed from October 2022 to December 2022. Descriptive analysis and chi-squared tests were performed. Results: 2302 surveys were distributed and 268 responses were obtained (11.6%): 121 non-surgeon physicians, 120 lawyers/other doctorate degree holders, and 27 other/unknown. Data analysis included prior study's surgeon data. The median age (IQR = 25%, 75%) of the surgeons was 40y (36,45), non-surgeon physicians 43y (37,50), and law/other doctorates 38y (35,46). Delayed childbearing was observed in 65.0% surgeons, 66.1% non-surgeon physicians, and 57.5% law/other doctorates (P <.001). Pregnancy loss <10wks was observed in 35.3% surgeons, 33.9% non-surgeon physicians, and 30.8% law/other doctorates (P <.001). Infertility testing was performed in 43.0% non-surgeon physicians and 34.2% law/other doctorates (P <.001). Assisted reproductive technology was utilized by 24.9% surgeons, 43.0% non-surgeon physicians, and 21.7% law/other doctorates (P <.001). Discussion: Surgeons/physicians suffer more childbearing complications than other professional women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women now make up more than half of the physician workforce, but they are disproportionately plagued by burnout. Medicine is a fast-paced stressful field, the practice of which is associated with significant chronic stress due to systems issues, crowding, electronic medical records, and patient case mix. Hospitals and health care systems are responsible for mitigating system-based burnout-prone conditions, but often their best efforts fail. Physicians, particularly women, must confront their stressors and the daily burden of significant system strain when this occurs. Those who routinely exceed their cumulative stress threshold may experience burnout, career dissatisfaction, and second victim syndrome and, ultimately, may prematurely leave medicine. These conditions affect women in medicine more often than men and may also produce a higher incidence of health issues, including depression, substance use disorder, and suicide. The individual self-care required to maintain health and raise stress thresholds is not widely ingrained in provider practice patterns or behavior. However, the successful long-term practice of high-stress occupations, such as medicine, requires that physicians, especially women physicians, attend to their wellness. In this article, we address one aspect of health, resilience, and review six practices that can create additional stores of personal resilience when proactively integrated into a daily routine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global incidence of cancer is increasing, including its incidence in women of reproductive age. Still, physicians encounter this situation rarely, which could lead to substandard care. This research sought to explore opportunities to improve future care for pregnant women with cancer, by describing the outcomes of a survey distributed to physicians all over the world focusing on clinical experience with pregnant women with cancer, the organization of care and current gaps in knowledge. We included 249 responses from physicians working across 36 countries. Responses demonstrate a wide variation in the organization of care – generally lacking centralization, and the physicians' acknowledgement of insufficient knowledge on the management of pregnant women with cancer. There is a need for improvement through national centralization and/or establishing advisory boards for cancer in pregnancy. Seeing the paucity of cancer in pregnancy experience, the importance of global multidisciplinary collaboration is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores physicians' responses to the suicide of a female surgeon colleague in order to detail the cultural patterning of the problem of suicide within biomedicine. More broadly, it argues that suicide provides an exemplary case of reckoning with uncertainty. Data sources include 124 hours of person-centered and semistructured interviews with 65 individuals, including 54 physicians, 28 of whom are female surgeons. I argue that the cultural model of suicide articulated by physicians reflects an ultimately ineffective strategy for managing suicide's multisource uncertainty, with the suicide of a colleague exposing the moral and affective entailments of a limit case of prognostication. Examining patterns in physician responses to suicide, I define "bewilderment" as a state of having no means of getting to know, and I detail the ways in which physicians' aversive reaction to bewilderment undermine knowledge acquisition. I describe suicide's distinct challenges to biomedicine's social power, including suicide's contestation of narratives about the future. Finally, I raise questions about the degree to which biomedical framings of suicide may undermine the ability of biomedical actors to develop effective interventions to address it. Exploring responses to suicide as a form of cultural production can illustrate fundamental tensions about uncertainty and causality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gender disparities in emergency medicine (EM) persist, with women underrepresented in leadership positions and faced with unique challenges, such as gender discrimination and harassment. To address these issues, professional development programs for women have been recommended. Objectives: The purpose of this scoping review was to examine current women's professional development programs for EM and develop a collection of program characteristics, meeting topics, and tips for success that can be useful to new or existing women's professional development programs. Methods: The authors systematically searched research databases for literature detailing current women's professional development programs for EM physicians. Studies detailing professional development programs for female physicians in EM were included. Results: After 149 unique articles were screened, 11 studies met inclusion criteria, describing 10 professional development programs for women in EM. The most commonly cited program objectives included providing mentors and role models (n = 9, 90%), offering career advice and promoting professional advancement and leadership skills (n = 5, 50%), increasing academic recognition for women (n = 4, 40%), and promoting work–life balance and integration (n = 2, 20%). The most common topics covered in program sessions included mentorship and coaching, compensation and/or negotiation, leadership skills, and career advancement and promotion. Challenges and barriers to the success of these programs included a lack of funding and support, difficulty in recruiting participants, lack of institutional recognition and support, lack of time, and difficulty in sustaining the program over time. Conclusions: The study's findings can inform the development of programs that promote gender equity and support the advancement of women in EM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]