Exploring the Effectiveness and Sustainability of Gender Diversity Initiatives

Description

Laurie Hiemstra begins her talk expressing gratitude for the opportunity to share insights about gender diversity initiatives, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and discussion among participants. She highlights the need for these initiatives to be effective and sustainable, particularly in the field of surgery where gender representation is still disproportionately skewed.



Using data from 2020, Hiemstra illustrates that while more women than men are represented in medical services overall, surgical specialties like orthopedics reflect a significant gap, with only 13% female representation in Canada and even lower in other countries. She discusses the necessity of addressing not just the numbers, but the barriers women face in pursuing and advancing in medical careers, specifically in orthopedics.



Hiemstra advocates for moving the conversation from equality, which implies treating everyone the same, to equity, which ensures all individuals have access to the resources they need for success. She introduces practical approaches taken in Canada to enhance gender diversity, including creating leadership opportunities, addressing mentorship deficits, and developing guidelines for parental leave, which have historically been absent in orthopedic practice.



Highlighting the success of initiatives like the Perry Initiative in the U.S., she notes that while such programs have worked well there, specific solutions must be tailored to each country's unique context. Hiemstra concludes emphasizing the importance of cultural change within medical professions, stating that effective diversity programs should lead to a point where such initiatives are no longer necessary.

DOI: 10.1302/3114-240733

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