Sex-specific determinants of leadership aspirations among general internal medicine physicians in Switzerland
摘要
A “leaky pipeline” exists in leadership for medicine in Switzerland, with majorities of women among resident or attending physicians, yet only 32% female senior and 16% chief physicians. Here, we examined factors associated with career ambitions of General Internal Medicine (GIM) physicians.
MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional web-based survey among GIM physicians in Switzerland. Outcome was the intent of becoming senior or chief physician. Exposures included workplace-related factors including network, supervisor’s support and gender-related discrimination and personal factors including Physician Well-being index and family situation.
ResultsThe sample included 624 physicians, of which 60% were women. During medical school, career aspirations of men and women were comparable. Yet, in their current aspiration towards leadership, men more frequently reported high aspirations than women (17% vs. 11%) (p = 0.03). Higher career aspiration was present among those who were more satisfied with their work (OR: 3.26, 95% CI: 1.56–7.73). Among men, higher career aspiration was associated with a lower probability of pathological well-being (OR: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.02–0.50). Among women, higher career aspiration was associated with reporting gender discrimination or facing negative views on parenthood by their supervisors (OR: 7.48, 95% CI: 1.71–39.0).
ConclusionBoth female and male physicians reported to have held similar career aspirations at onset of their career, while sex differences emerged during career progression. Supervisors’ unfavorable views on parenthood and gender discrimination in association with female physicians’ career aspirations may guide workplace-tailored strategies to close the leak in the pipeline towards medical leadership.