Among academic rheumatologists practicing in 2014, women are less likely than men to be full or associate professors, but have similar odds of being fellowship program directors or division directors, when adjusting for several factors known to influence faculty promotion.
“While barriers to academic promotion may negatively impact the opportunities for women in rheumatology to achieve senior faculty positions, we found that women and men were similarly likely to occupy key leadership positions within rheumatology divisions,” the authors wrote. “These differences may reflect how decisions regarding who will be advanced through academic and leadership ranks are based on different factors.”
These differences suggest barriers to academic promotion despite representation in leadership positions within rheumatology divisions.
“As the workforce gender balance continues to shift, equity in the academic advancement of women in rheumatology must be ensured,” the authors conclude.
Refer to the full study for all source material.
Excerpted and adapted from:
Jorge A, Bolster M, Blumenthal DM, et al. The association between physician gender and career advancement among academic rheumatologists in the United States. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021 Jan;73(1).
