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