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Research article
Career aspirations among specialty residents in France: a cross-sectional gender-based comparison
Alice Cathelain
Lille University Hospital, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, F-59000 Lille, France
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8935-3598
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Most studies evaluating career aspirations among gender are performed in Anglo-Saxon countries. Two recent French studies looked at the career choice of residents in obstetrics & gynecology. It seemed useful to us to broaden this questioning to other specialties, by proposing a study to all residents in the same Faculty. The objective of our study was to describe residents’ career aspirations and possible barriers according to gender.
Methods: Declarative cross-sectional survey, using questionnaires sent by email to the specialty residents of the Faculty of Medicine of Lille (France). An analysis by specialty group (i.e., medicine, surgery, obstetrics & gynecology, and anesthesia & resuscitation) and a comparison of the results according to gender were performed.
Results: Of the 1,384 specialty residents currently in training, 462 answered the questionnaire (33.38%), among whom 289 women and 173 men (average age = 27.08 ± 0.091 years). Seventeen women (5.9%) were currently considering a university hospital career versus 37 men (21.4%) (p = 0.001).
Gender analysis made it possible to identify obstacles to engaging in a university career: lacking a female model, more frequent doubting the ability to undertake this type of career among women (61.6%) than men (35.3%) (p < 0.001), and gender discrimination felt in the workplace for 51.6% of women (versus 7.5% of men, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed specificities related to each specialty.
Conclusions: Few residents plan to embark upon a university hospital career, let alone female residents. There are considerations specific to each specialty and marked gender differences regarding career aspirations. Many features have been identified as obstacles to access to university hospital positions for women. It is important to develop strategies to remove these barriers and enable women to pursue such university careers.
Trial registration: Not applicable (no intervention)
Keywords
Gender, university career, internship, women, medicine
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On 20 Aug, 2020
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Medical Education. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Career aspirations among specialty residents in France: a cross-sectional gender-based comparison
Alice Cathelain
Lille University Hospital, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, F-59000 Lille, France
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8935-3598
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 5
Posted 15 Jan, 2021
No community comments so far
Submission checks complete
On 08 Jan, 2021
No comments provided
Editor assigned
On 21 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 21 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 21 Dec, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 01 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 25 Nov, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 25 Nov, 2020
Editor invited
On 25 Nov, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 17 Nov, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 16 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 05 Nov, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 26 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 22 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 21 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 12 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 16 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 10 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 23 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 20 Aug, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 20 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 19 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 28 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 27 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 27 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 25 Apr, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Educational Philosophy and Theory
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Most studies evaluating career aspirations among gender are performed in Anglo-Saxon countries. Two recent French studies looked at the career choice of residents in obstetrics & gynecology. It seemed useful to us to broaden this questioning to other specialties, by proposing a study to all residents in the same Faculty. The objective of our study was to describe residents’ career aspirations and possible barriers according to gender.
Methods: Declarative cross-sectional survey, using questionnaires sent by email to the specialty residents of the Faculty of Medicine of Lille (France). An analysis by specialty group (i.e., medicine, surgery, obstetrics & gynecology, and anesthesia & resuscitation) and a comparison of the results according to gender were performed.
Results: Of the 1,384 specialty residents currently in training, 462 answered the questionnaire (33.38%), among whom 289 women and 173 men (average age = 27.08 ± 0.091 years). Seventeen women (5.9%) were currently considering a university hospital career versus 37 men (21.4%) (p = 0.001).
Gender analysis made it possible to identify obstacles to engaging in a university career: lacking a female model, more frequent doubting the ability to undertake this type of career among women (61.6%) than men (35.3%) (p < 0.001), and gender discrimination felt in the workplace for 51.6% of women (versus 7.5% of men, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed specificities related to each specialty.
Conclusions: Few residents plan to embark upon a university hospital career, let alone female residents. There are considerations specific to each specialty and marked gender differences regarding career aspirations. Many features have been identified as obstacles to access to university hospital positions for women. It is important to develop strategies to remove these barriers and enable women to pursue such university careers.
Trial registration: Not applicable (no intervention)