Conclusion
Women make up over 50% of matriculants to medical schools, but they
hold less than 15% of leadership positions in medical schools. Such
inequity harms our medical education efforts and the women we train.
Seemingly feminist axioms, like ‘lean in’, encouraged women to work
harder to close the gap. Even objectively positive messaging around
imposter syndrome, or the old adage ‘fake it till you make it’ have a
darker side - suggesting that women only need to get out of their own
way. These axioms ignore powerful systemic barriers and significant
differences in personal values that shape these choices and
opportunities. Allies must work harder alongside the women-colleagues to
create real and lasting change. We can—and must—do better.
Acknowledgements: The authors also acknowledge the benefit of
multiple mentors and allies who helped shape their careers: Jonathan
Sherbino, Geoffrey R. Norman, Matthew Sibbald, Lawrence Grierson, Ranil
Sonnadara, Mathew Mercuri, Shawn Mondoux, Alim Pardhan, Mark Lee, Mark
Crowther, J. Mark Walton, Paul O’Bryne, Kulamakan Kulasegaram, Glen
Regehr, Kevin Eva, Dan Pratt, Michael Gottlieb, Brent Thoma, Anthony
Artino Jr, Jason Frank, and Eric Driessen. They would also like to thank
several others for their support and conversations that have impacted on
the formation of this paper’s ideas, including the following women: Lara
Varpio, Stefanie Sebok-Syer, Meredith Vanstone, Anita Acai, Alexandra
Mannix, Melissa Parsons, Dara Kass, Esther Choo, Megan Ranney, Jennifer
Beck-Esmay, Pam Elmhirst, Danielle Stayzer, Nishma Singhal, Ilana Bayer,
X. Catherine Tong, Smita Halder, Sandra Ramelli, and Joanna Bates.
Finally, the authors would like to thank the learners and junior
colleagues who have collectively pushed their thinking: Cindy Tran,
Yusuf Yilmaz, Sheri Hosseini, Victoria Tran, Arianna Mazzeo, Vanessa
Munford, and Arden Azim.
Funding: None.Other disclosures:
All authors have received a salary from McMaster University during the
period of this study. SM discloses that she has funding, payment or
honoraria for unrelated works from Touchstone Institute (Toronto, ON),
Aquifer, Government of Ontario’s eCampus initiative, Royal College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the PSI Foundation. TMC discloses
that she is an associate editor for Academic Medicine and receives
payment from the Association of American Medical Colleges. TMC discloses
that she has received various unrelated research grants, teaching
honoraria, and speakership fees from academic institutions (Baylor
University/Texas Children’s Hospital, Catholic University of Korea,
Harvard Medical School, International Association of Medical Sciences
Educators, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, University of British
Columbia, University of Northern British Columbia), non-profit
organizations (PSI Foundation), and governmental sources (Government of
Ontario). RK discloses unrelated grants from the Social Sciences
Humanities Research Council of Canada, University of Ottawa, the Royal
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the Society of
Directors of Research in Medical Education.
Ethical approval: Not applicable.
Disclaimers: Not applicable.
Previous presentations: We intend to present a related workshop
at the McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences Women’s Symposium 2022.
Author contributions: All authors contributed to this work. SM,
TMC initially conceptualized this idea. SM and RK reviewed the relevant
literature. All three performed analyses and collaboratively engaged in
the writing process with each other. All authors provided meaningful
feedback in terms of important intellectual content throughout the
writing process and approved this draft’s submission.
Data: Not applicable