TY - JOUR
T1 - A Survey Study of Female Radiation Oncology Residents’ Experiences to Inform Change
AU - Osborn, Virginia W.
AU - Doke, Kaleigh
AU - Griffith, Kent A.
AU - Jones, Rochelle
AU - Lee, Anna
AU - Maquilan, Genevieve
AU - Masters, Adrianna Henson
AU - Albert, Ashley A.
AU - Dover, Laura L.
AU - Puckett, Lindsay L.
AU - Hentz, Courtney
AU - Kahn, Jenna M.
AU - Colbert, Lauren E.
AU - Barry, Parul N.
AU - Jagsi, Reshma
N1 - Funding Information:
No extramural funding was required; study costs were supported by the University of Michigan via discretionary departmental funds to R.J. Study data were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture tools hosted at the University of Michigan (Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research grant support, CTSA: UL1TR002240).Disclosures: R.J. reports stock options as compensation for her advisory board role in Equity Quotient, a company that evaluates culture in health care companies; she has received personal fees from Amgen and Vizient and grants for unrelated work from the National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute), the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Greenwall Foundation, the Susan Komen Foundation, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for the Michigan Radiation Oncology Quality Consortium, outside the submitted work. V.W.O., K.D., A.L., G.M., A.H.M., A.A.A., L.L.D., L.L.P., C.H., P.N.B., and R.J. are uncompensated founding members of the Society for Women in Radiation Oncology.
Funding Information:
No extramural funding was required; study costs were supported by the University of Michigan via discretionary departmental funds to R.J. Study data were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture tools hosted at the University of Michigan ( Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research grant support, CTSA: UL1TR002240).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2019/8/1
Y1 - 2019/8/1
N2 - Purpose: Women remain underrepresented at all levels within the field of radiation oncology. We sought to study current female residents’ experiences and concerns to inform interventions to promote gender equity. Furthermore, we evaluated interest in a professional society specifically for women radiation oncologists. Methods and Materials: An anonymous 76-item survey was designed and distributed to current women residents in radiation oncology in 2017-2018. Analyses describe personal, program, and family characteristics and experiences before and after joining the field. Results: Of 170 female residents surveyed, 125 responded (74% response rate). Over one-quarter were in programs with ≤2 female residents (29%) and ≤2 female attendings (29%). One-third (34%) reported having children. Over half (51%) reported that lack of mentorship affected career ambitions. Over half (52%) agreed that gender-specific bias existed in their programs, and over a quarter (27%) reported they had experienced unwanted sexual comments, attention, or advances by a superior or colleague. Only 5% reported no symptoms of burnout. Almost all (95%) agreed that radiation oncology is perceived as family friendly; however, only 52% agreed that it actually is. An overwhelming majority (90%) expressed interest in joining a professional group for women in radiation oncology. Conclusions: In the first study to our knowledge to focus specifically on the experiences of women residents in radiation oncology, a number of areas for potential improvement were highlighted, including isolation and underrepresentation, mentorship needs, bias and harassment, and gender-based obstacles such as need for support during pregnancy and motherhood. These findings support the organization of groups such as the Society for Women in Radiation Oncology, which seeks to target these needs to promote gender equity.
AB - Purpose: Women remain underrepresented at all levels within the field of radiation oncology. We sought to study current female residents’ experiences and concerns to inform interventions to promote gender equity. Furthermore, we evaluated interest in a professional society specifically for women radiation oncologists. Methods and Materials: An anonymous 76-item survey was designed and distributed to current women residents in radiation oncology in 2017-2018. Analyses describe personal, program, and family characteristics and experiences before and after joining the field. Results: Of 170 female residents surveyed, 125 responded (74% response rate). Over one-quarter were in programs with ≤2 female residents (29%) and ≤2 female attendings (29%). One-third (34%) reported having children. Over half (51%) reported that lack of mentorship affected career ambitions. Over half (52%) agreed that gender-specific bias existed in their programs, and over a quarter (27%) reported they had experienced unwanted sexual comments, attention, or advances by a superior or colleague. Only 5% reported no symptoms of burnout. Almost all (95%) agreed that radiation oncology is perceived as family friendly; however, only 52% agreed that it actually is. An overwhelming majority (90%) expressed interest in joining a professional group for women in radiation oncology. Conclusions: In the first study to our knowledge to focus specifically on the experiences of women residents in radiation oncology, a number of areas for potential improvement were highlighted, including isolation and underrepresentation, mentorship needs, bias and harassment, and gender-based obstacles such as need for support during pregnancy and motherhood. These findings support the organization of groups such as the Society for Women in Radiation Oncology, which seeks to target these needs to promote gender equity.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.05.013
DO - 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.05.013
M3 - Article
C2 - 31108141
AN - SCOPUS:85067169791
VL - 104
SP - 999
EP - 1008
JO - International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
JF - International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
SN - 0360-3016
IS - 5
ER -