Gender diversity remains a challenge for radiology. As we aspire to embrace Diversity 3.0 and the goal of making diversity core to our organizations’ mission, there must be increasing awareness of the barriers to achieving inclusion and to best practices for making diversity integral to achieving excellence. This article reviews the literature on gender diversity in radiology and in academic radiology leadership and discusses lessons learned from non–health-care industry and from academic radiology departments that have been successful in developing and supporting female employees.
Introduction
Although there has been a significant increase in the percentage of female medical school graduates in recent years, there has been no parallel expected incremental increase in the number of female radiology residents . In 2010–2011, 48% of medical students were female, but only 24% of radiology residents were women . Radiologist demographics do not mirror the population they serve as women are significantly under-represented as residents, in academic faculty, and in private practice . A gender imbalance in academic radiology department leadership has also been described . Women comprise 34% of academic radiologists, 25% of vice chairs and section chiefs, and only 9% of chairs. This gender inequality not only diminishes the benefit of varied perspectives to clinical care and research in our field but also minimizes the number of female role models that aspiring female leaders potentially have.
In this article, we review the literature on gender diversity in radiology and in academic radiology leadership. In addition, we share best practices and lessons learned from the non–health-care industry and from academic radiology departments that have been successful in developing and supporting female employees.
Review of Literature
Teaching hospitals across the United States are creating policies to capture and leverage the opportunities created by having a diverse workforce embodied in the Diversity 3.0 paradigm ( Table 1 ). The benefits of diversity and inclusion to the organizational goals of employee engagement, employee retention, customer service, and innovation are well documented in the literature . Given these benefits, it is worthwhile to explore causes of lack of gender equity in academic radiology departments. The root cause of the gender gap is multifactorial and includes challenges with pipeline, gender bias, and work-family balance.
Table 1
Phases in the Evolution of Diversity Thinking Within the Academic Medicine Community
Source: Nivet, M.A. Diversity 3.0: a necessary systems upgrade. Acad Med 2011; 86:1487–1489.
Phase Description Diversity 1.0 Isolated efforts aimed at removing social and legal barriers to access and equality, with institutional excellence and diversity as competing ends Diversity 2.0 Diversity kept on the periphery but raised awareness about how increasing diversity benefits everyone, allowing excellence and diversity to exist as parallel ends Diversity 3.0 Diversity and inclusion integrated into the core workings of the institution and framed as integral for achieving excellence
There is a chronic gender imbalance among the medical students entering radiology, the so-called pipeline component. Radiology is the ninth largest Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education training specialty, but ranks 17th for representation of women . Of note, radiology has the lowest position among the nonsurgical specialties. This gender disparity has persisted over the past two decades with women consistently representing only 25% of radiology residency spots . Research into why female medical students choose radiology for residency at lower rates than their male counterparts describes perception of lack of direct patient care, dark working environment, physics knowledge, and lack of exposure . Women have a greater presence in academic departments than in the private practice setting but remain in the minority, and thus, there is a smaller pool from which to draw leadership.
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Approaches From Other Industries
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Best Practices in Radiology
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Table 2
Strategies for Recruitment and Retention of Women Residents and Faculty
Recruitment Retention
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Discussion
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