Suturing the gender gap through sponsorship: The role of sponsorship in female entry and advancement through their surgical careers

Mahendran, Geethanjeli N.; Walker, Elizabeth Reisinger; Bennett, Mackenzie; Chen, Amy Y.

doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2022.02.008

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Of the qualitative studies in our review, women reported a lack of access to sponsorship 30 , 35 compared to men who received more sponsorship 33 , and earlier in their careers. 29 It was noted that men are more likely to sponsor men 29 , and women are less likely to seek out or be identified for sponsorship.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Studies varied in their description of the nature of the sponsorship relationship, with some calling it “episodic” or “transactional,” 29 , 35 while others focused on more longitudinal elements of the relationship, noting that a sponsee “is distinguished by loyalty to the sponsor” 27 and that sponsorship requires a “reputational risk” to the sponsor through the public commitment of an individual whose talents they are promoting. 35 Mahendran et al 35 and Hilsabeck 32 highlighted the bi-directional nature of the sponsorship relationship, with both noting the intrinsic satisfaction of seeing a protégé succeed. A precursor to sponsorship appears to be sufficient interpersonal connection for a sponsee’s talent to be recognized.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 27 One study noted that as faculty advanced in their career, access to sponsorship became more limited. 35 Across studies, a theme that emerged was the importance of having a sponsor who was in a position of power, often someone at a late-career stage.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does Sponsorship Promote Equity in Career Advancement in Academic Medicine? A Scoping Review

Schwartz,

Williams,

Feldman

2023

J GEN INTERN MED

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Sponsorship describes a set of actions wherein an influential champion (sponsor) uses their position to actively support a colleague’s career by helping them gain visibility, recognition, and/or positions. There is growing awareness of the importance of sponsorship for career advancement in academic medicine, particularly for women and those who are historically underrepresented and excluded in medicine (UIM). This scoping review examines the current landscape of evidence, and knowledge gaps, on sponsorship as it relates to career advancement in academic medicine for women and UIM faculty. We searched peer-reviewed literature in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science (WoS) over the past 50 years (from 1973 through July 2023). Sixteen studies were included in the final review. We found relative consensus on sponsorship definition and value to career advancement. Heterogeneity in study design limited our ability to directly compare study outcomes. All included studies focused on gender differences in sponsorship: two of four quantitative studies found men were more likely to receive sponsorship, one reported no gender differences, and one was insufficiently powered. All but one of the qualitative studies reported gender differences, with women less likely to access or be identified for sponsorship. The mixed-methods studies suggested sponsorship may vary by career stage. Only two studies analyzed sponsorship for UIM populations. The existing data are inconclusive regarding best ways to measure and assess sponsorship, what institutional support (e.g., structured programs, formal recognition, or incentives for sponsorship) should look like, and at what career stage sponsorship is most important. Addressing this knowledge gap will be critically important for understanding what sponsorship best practices, if any, should be used to promote equity in career advancement in academic medicine. We advocate for commitment at the institutional and national levels to develop new infrastructure for transparently and equitably supporting women and UIM in career advancement.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does Sponsorship Promote Equity in Career Advancement in Academic Medicine? A Scoping Review

Schwartz,

Williams,

Feldman

2023

J GEN INTERN MED

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“…This also limits sponsorship opportunities that a single mentor can champion for each of their mentees. 55 A strong woman mentor has been correlated with choosing a career in surgery; many feel more comfortable with and more supported by female mentorship. 56 A lack of female mentors, locally and nationally, decreases access to sponsorship.…”

Section: Surgical Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surgical Education: Disparities in Education May Impact the Quality and Likelihood of Completion of Training

Ofshteyn

Steinhagen

2023

Clin Colon Rectal Surg

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Female surgical trainees experience bias that begins at the preclinical stages of medical school, extending into their surgery clerkships, and then into their residency training. There are important implications in terms of training opportunities and career advancement, mentorship, sponsorship, and ultimately burnout. Childbearing and lactation also impact the experiences and perceptions of female trainees who have children. There are limited interventions that have improved the experience of women in surgical training. Mentorship appears to play an important role in ameliorating some of the negative consequences of the training environment and improving outcomes for women surgeons.

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“…Nevertheless, lack of visibility and being at an advanced career stage may decrease access to sponsorship. 13 Those in positions of influence should be willing to support and amplify the work of women and members of under-represented groups. 14 In addition, leaders of departments and organizations should recognize the challenges that women face throughout their careers and continue to face after attaining leadership roles.…”

Section: Misconception 1: Women Need (More) Mentoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Misconceptions about women in leadership in academic medicine

Hastie

Lee

Siddiqui

et al. 2023

Can J Anesth/J Can Anesth

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Despite progress made over the past decade, women are under-represented in positions of leadership in academic medicine. Women physicians face numerous challenges throughout their careers. Despite achieving leadership positions, women in leadership continue to experience the impact of those challenges. In this review, we describe four misconceptions about women in leadership, along with their impact and recommendations. First, we describe differences between mentorship and sponsorship, as well as their impact on attaining leadership positions. Second, the gender pay gap persists throughout women’s careers, regardless of leadership positions. Third, we explore the role of self-efficacy in leadership in the context of stereotype threats. Fourth, gendered expectations of leadership characteristics place an undue burden on women, detracting from their leadership effectiveness. Organizations can address the challenges women face by creating robust mentorship and sponsorship networks, establishing transparent and equitable pay policies, promoting and normalizing a broader range of leadership styles, and improving work flexibility and support structure. Ultimately, such changes serve all members of the organization through increased retention and engagement.

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Suturing the gender gap through sponsorship: The role of sponsorship in female entry and advancement through their surgical careers

Cited by 13 publications

References 12 publications

Does Sponsorship Promote Equity in Career Advancement in Academic Medicine? A Scoping Review

Does Sponsorship Promote Equity in Career Advancement in Academic Medicine? A Scoping Review

Surgical Education: Disparities in Education May Impact the Quality and Likelihood of Completion of Training

Misconceptions about women in leadership in academic medicine

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