Background

The proportion of women as leading physicians in cardiology in university medicine has stagnated and the share of women in senior positions in cardiology is low compared with other medical specialist fields. Here, we analyze the typical barriers for women as doctors in cardiology and point to issues that make the discipline less attractive for both genders.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study, a standardized online questionnaire was sent to 3873 members of the German Cardiac Society (DGK). Answers from 567 (278 women, 289 men) were analyzed, using comparisons between groups, correlation analyses, and tests of normal distribution.

Results

For 47.4% of respondents (52.0%, of women; 42.8%, of men; p = 0.049), training had lasted longer than anticipated. Average monthly gross income (full-time work) differed significantly between women and men as specialists (p = 0.004) and assistant doctors (p = 0.030). Of women, 32.1% had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. The main arguments against a career in university medicine were an extremely competitive working climate (66.7% of women, 63.2% of men), lack of work–life balance (66.7% women, 55.3% men), and excessive workload (57.8% women, 62.5% men). As strategies to increase job attractiveness, both mentioned measures to improve the work–life balance, and the flexibility of working times and improved financial provision. Women asked for gender balance at management level (76.3% vs. 32.9% of men) and opportunities for sharing management tasks (82.4% vs. 57.9%). Flatter hierarchies were requested by more men (67.1 vs. 54.8%).

Conclusion

Further development of the work culture in cardiology seems necessary. In order to increase the attractiveness of the field overall and to provide equal opportunities in cardiology, more targeted support should be provided to young doctors and more flexibility introduced into work.

中文翻译：

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心脏病学中的性别和职业——一项横断面研究

背景

与其他医学专科领域相比，女性在大学医学中担任心脏病学领军医师的比例停滞不前，女性担任心脏病学高级职位的比例较低。在这里，我们分析了女性作为心脏病学医生的典型障碍，并指出了该学科对两性都没有吸引力的问题。

方法

在一项横断面研究中，向德国心脏协会 (DGK) 的 3873 名成员发送了一份标准化的在线问卷。使用组间比较、相关分析和正态分布检验分析了 567 名（278 名女性，289 名男性）的回答。

结果

对于 47.4% 的受访者（52.0%，女性；42.8%，男性；p  = 0.049），培训持续的时间比预期的要长。作为专科医生（p  = 0.004）和助理医生（p = 0.030)。在女性中，32.1% 曾在工作场所遭受过性骚扰。反对大学医学职业的主要论据是竞争激烈的工作环境（66.7% 的女性，63.2% 的男性），缺乏工作与生活的平衡（66.7% 的女性，55.3% 的男性）和过度的工作量（57.8% 的女性, 62.5% 男性)。作为提高工作吸引力的策略，两者都提到了改善工作与生活平衡的措施，以及工作时间的灵活性和改善的财务状况。女性要求在管理层面实现性别平衡（76.3% 对男性 32.9%）和分担管理任务的机会（82.4% 对 57.9%）。更多男性要求更扁平的等级制度（67.1% 对 54.8%）。

结论

心脏病学工作文化的进一步发展似乎是必要的。为了提高该领域的整体吸引力并提供平等的心脏病学机会，应为年轻医生提供更有针对性的支持，并在工作中引入更多灵活性。