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- Talk
- 22/09/2021
- UK
The Effect of Gender on Operative Autonomy in Surgical Training (GOAST) – Regional Pilot Study
Description
This presentation by Samantha Downie, a trainee in Dundee, Scotland, discusses a pilot study examining the effects of gender and operative autonomy within orthopedic surgical training. The study aims to address the significant inequality observed across medical specialties, particularly in surgical fields, and investigates whether gender influences a trainee's likelihood of being the lead surgeon in operations. Downie outlines the background motivations for the study, referencing existing literature that indicates female surgical trainees often have different experiences compared to their male counterparts, especially when balancing family and training demands.
She emphasizes the importance of operative autonomy—defined as the percentage of cases in which a trainee acts as the lead surgeon without direct supervision—citing findings from a previous New Zealand study that showcased a disparity favoring male trainees. Furthermore, she highlights that the Tayside area's surgical training involves a gender mix among participants and discusses collected data reflecting the number of procedures observed and performed by trainees of different genders.
Throughout the talk, Downie notes differences in average training grades between male and female participants, the impact of time off from the program predominantly affecting female trainees, and variations in case types managed by gender. She also reveals a slight edge in lead surgeon opportunities for male trainees, while acknowledging that disparities may partly reflect differences in training grades and experiences.
Finally, the presentation concludes with an acknowledgment of the pilot study's limitations due to small sample sizes and gender distribution in training grades. Downie offers a forward-looking perspective on the need for larger, national studies to further investigate these trends and foster equality in surgical training, ultimately thanking contributing participants and funders for their support.