Pre-Existing Social Conditions: A Call to Prevent the Perpetuation of Gender Inequalities in Research Production during COVID-19

Abstract

The global COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for systematic studies on our changing society and medical students are responding accordingly. However, emerging evidence indicates that there are changing patterns in research production since the initial COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, with an exponential increase in the number of manuscripts submitted to academic journals for peer review, but with women producing significantly less research compared to men. In an effort to contemplate what academic journals’ responsibilities are to counteract these trends among medical students, we consider three “pre-existing social conditions” that have the potential to negatively affect female medical students’ careers long-term: 1) the unequal division of labor both at home and work; 2) women’s lower well-being compared to men’s; and 3) men’s greater representation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. As a society, we need to offset these trends that threaten women’s careers, as we are at risk of reversing the diligent work achieved to improve gender equality in the fields of science and medicine. While “pre-existing conditions”—the social, economic, political, and historical forces discussed here— have led to, and exacerbated, gender disparities in research production during the pandemic, The International Journal of Medical Students (IJMS) is committed to acknowledging these gender inequalities and preventing their perpetuation among the next generation of future doctors and physician-scientists.

Thinking Globally in the Pursuit of Individual Identity: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the International Journal of Medical Students (IJMS)

“…Muhammad Romail Manan, 1 Kiera Liblik, 2 Francisco J. Barrera, 3 Ciara Egan, 4 Juan C. Puyana, 5 Francisco J. Bonilla-Escobar. 6 Inequity and inequality are pervasive in healthcare despite recent efforts to advance inclusivity and multiculturalism in research and practice.…”

“…2 Recent circumstances in global health, including those highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, have demonstrated societal insufficiencies concerning equity especially relating to the disease burden and health outcomes of black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). 3,4 This systemic discrimination can hinder the accessibility of health services, compounding inequity. Following a set of predefined diversity, inclusion, and equity policies may aid in combatting these problems.…”

“…Therefore, to materialize our vision, we have decided to proclaim our dedication to representing researchers regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, geography, career stage, religious beliefs, socioeconomic level, national origin, language, marital status, and political ideology. IJMS has demonstrated this by publishing on important issues relating to gender, 3,[14][15][16] culture, [17][18][19][20] , and ethnicity. 21,22 Through our statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), we take a positive step towards representing the underrepresented and welcoming researchers, editors, authors, ambassadors, and reviewers from various communities irrespective of the abovementioned domains of diversity.…”

The Effect of COVID-19 on the Medical School Experience, Specialty Selection, and Career Choice: A Qualitative Study

“…Gender inequity in medicine is described as a “pre-existing social condition”; one that existed well before COVID-19 and has the potential to negatively affect medical students’ career trajectories 5 . Societal norms suggest that women should enter primary care specialties, such as pediatrics or family practice, that are consonant with ‘helper’ roles and provide the perceived need of flexibility for their future as mothers 6 .…”

A Call for Action—Empowering Medical Students to Facilitate Change

“…The International Journal of Medical Students (IJMS) calls for overcoming this inertia and is leading the way for improved global healthcare. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] This issue brings to light how, across the world, we are seeing examples of change and how this is improving our understanding of the human body and the world. We explore first-hand experiences of mitigating COVID-19 while also keeping in touch with other areas of clinical medicine and scientific research.…”