Understanding professional disparities in academic anesthesiology: a single-center gender-based survey study
Publication type
journal article
Publication date
December 7, 2025
Author(s)
Donovan, Anne L.
Chang, Joyce
Sinskey, Jina
Schwartz, Rachel
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Language
English
Discipline(s)
Abstract
Background
Women in academic anesthesiology face numerous structural and cultural barriers that impede academic advancement and threaten career longevity. Understanding the impact of these challenges can allow steps to be taken to improve gender equity and retention in academic anesthesiology.
Methods
This study describes a voluntary, anonymous survey distributed to faculty members in the Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Care at an urban tertiary care academic Health System with a variety of anesthetizing locations across six hospitals. All clinical faculty members in the Department, regardless of gender identity, were invited to participate (
n
= 209). The 57-question survey, which was administered over a 3-week time period in 2024, examined the relationship between demographic variables and professional factors relating to career progression. Quantitative data were summarized with descriptive statistics to compare responses between both gender and career stage peer groups. Using inductive thematic analysis, the authors analyzed open-ended survey data and developed themes that will be used to develop future improvement initiatives.
Results
The survey response rate was 35% (73/209). Respondents were well-balanced in terms of gender (52.1% women, 45.2% men, 2.7% other) and other demographic groups. Women respondents more often remained at an assistant professor level after 6–10 years of practice (36.4% vs. 0%), reported fewer first or senior author publications if in practice 5 + years (70% vs. 33.3%), and described non-promotable work responsibilities in early- and mid-career time points (85% vs. 67%). Women less often reported receiving an accelerated promotion (33.3% vs. 44.8%); holding departmental (50% vs. 58.6%), institutional (17.9% vs. 35.7%), or national (34.6% vs. 44.8%) leadership positions; and having participated on an editorial board (26.5% vs. 37.9%). More women, particularly in early- and mid-career stages, reported active intent to leave the institution (21.1% vs. 12.1%). Three clear themes emerged from qualitative survey data: 1) Career Advancement, 2) Work Culture, and 3) Work-life Integration.
Conclusions
Differences are reported in traditional metrics of academic career success between men and women in an academic anesthesiology department. The themes identified provide concrete targets for improvement in improving equity between women and men and retention in academic anesthesiology.
Part of
BMC Anesthesiology
ISSN
1471-2253
Volume
26
Issue
1