US: Improved recruitment processes work

A study at the University of Pennsylvania school of medicine suggests that improving recruitment processes can increase the number of women in academic departments where they are under-represented. Women are still markedly under represented in American medical academia and the research, published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, notes that less than one third of physicians holding an academic appointment are women. This is despite female student numbers equalling or exceeding those of men in most medical schools.

The researchers blame organisational processes combined with cultural stereotypes, insufficient mentoring and poor life-work balance opportunities for disadvantaged women in the medical profession. However, changes to recruitment processes at universities can make a difference to such traditionally male-dominated faculties.

These conclusions come from an assessment of a rolling gender equity initiative which reviewed recruitment policies at the school of medicine from 2003 until 2007. This led to a series of reforms, such as the development of a plan for women medical academic recruitment, devising goals for the recruitment of women faculty members in collaboration with a division chief or dean and monitoring the retention and promotion of women faculty members. Also a formal group of senior female faculty was established to meet with prospective recruits, provide them with resources and offer peer mentoring.

These reforms have had some affect: in January 2003, 8% of faculty in the department of surgery were women in contrast to 13% nation wide. This number grew to 12% by 2006 and 15% in 2007 compared with 16% nation wide at that time.

"Although many of the social and cultural issues in recruitment of women faculty cannot be easily addressed, developing strategies for recruiting women and monitoring the retention of women faculty could provide a framework for improving these disparities," said Dr Seema Sonnad, director of outcomes research in the department of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. "Other institutions could benefit from conducting similar analyses of their recruitment procedures."

monica.dobie@uw-news.com