Fellowship directors: Gender equity training critical for patient care, physician workforce
Key takeaways:
- Most fellowship directors reported that gender equity training is important to patient care and the physician workforce.
- Most directors said the programs did not provide such training.
Directors of hematology-oncology fellowship programs reported that gender equity training is critical for patient care and the physician workforce, yet this type of training is uncommon in most programs, according to study results.
“Given the interest for more educational gender equity resources, there are opportunities to develop and share materials to enhance gender equity training for future hematology-oncology physicians,” Ana I. Velazquez Manana, MD, MSc, FASCO, assistant director for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility for trainees at UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and assistant clinical professor in the department of medicine at UCSF, and colleagues wrote.
Magnitude of training
“There are multiple reports of gender-based challenges experienced by women in medicine ranging from inequities in salary and promotions and higher burden of uncompensated administrative tasks to frank discrimination and sexual harassment,” Velazquez Manana told Healio. “Similarly, research studies have shown us that female patients also experience gender-based inequities when seeking and receiving health care such as having symptoms overlooked or experiencing delays in diagnosis.”
Researchers sought to examine the magnitude of gender disparities training in patient care and equity as well as barriers to implementation of that training in hematology-oncology programs.
The study included 56 hematology-oncology fellowship program directors registered in the Association of American Medical Colleges or included in the Electronic Residency Application Service.
Investigators distributed a survey to all participants inquiring about their perceptions of gender equity, the extent of gender equity training offered, as well as barriers to providing that type of training. They used Likert scales, multiple choice and open-ended responses to document responses and analyzed data with descriptive statistics.
Call for training
Overall, 69.6% of directors reported training in gender equity issues as somewhat to very important to patient care, and 80.4% reported it was important to the physician workforce.
Yet, 83.9% of directors reported that their programs do not provide training in gender equity for patient care, and 78.6% reported no training in gender equity for the physician workforce.
Respondents noted lack of resources as the most common factor in not providing gender equity training. Most respondents reported interest in resources for patient gender equity training (93.9%) and physician training (88.6%).
Results also showed that programs agreed to share training materials for gender equity issues training in patient care (44.4%) and the physician workforce (66.7%).
‘Continue to advocate’
“This research is important as we continue to advocate for equity in health care, our workforce and society,” Velazquez Manana said. “Hematology-oncology fellows are the future of cancer care, and it is important that our medical education includes conversations about the challenges experienced by our peers and our patients, and how we as individuals can help eliminate these gender-based challenges.”
It is important for individuals, she continued, to reflect on day-to-day life and identify ways to help promote equity in the workplace and the community.
“For example, we can ensure that our colleagues and patients are treated with respect and help educate those, even if unknowingly, who are promoting gender stereotypes and bias.
We can sponsor and support women oncologists for professional development and leadership opportunities,” Velazquez Manana said. “Oncologists in leadership positions can review equity in salary, promotions and work distribution among their employees. Hematology-oncology fellowship program directors and medical educators have opportunities to integrate gender equity in their teaching and for collaborations to develop and share gender equity training materials. Similarly, programs and educators can utilize, encourage and sponsor the use of available resources for leadership and professional development of trainees and early-career women.”
For more information:
Ana I. Velazquez Manana, MD, MSc, FASCO, can be reached at ana.velazquezmanana@ucsf.edu.
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