The Role of Gender-Concordant Mentorship in Women Premedical Students' Perception and Pursuit of Surgical Careers

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the impact of a 6-month structured mentorship program between women premedical stu-dent mentees paired with women medical students and surgical residents on mentees' interests and perceptions of surgical careers. DESIGN: Prospective qualitative and quantitative study. SETTING: This study took place at the Boston University School of Medicine, a single institution tertiary care hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Self-identified women premedical stu-dents at Boston University were eligible for inclusion in this program (n=90). Participants were recruited and grouped with self-identified women medical student (n=52) and resident (n=19) mentors. Participants were provided with a monthly curriculum to guide discussions. Mentees completed pre-and postprogram surveys with 5 -point Likert scale questions regarding interest and expo -sure to surgery, role models and mentorship, and effect of COVID-19 on their career interests. Pre-and postprogram responses were compared using a Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS: Of the 90 mentees, 63 (70%) completed pre -program surveys, and 53 (59%) completed postprogram surveys. Survey respondents indicated statistically signifi-cant increased exposure to positive role models (prepro-gram mean 3.15, postprogram mean 4.06, p=0.0003), increased exposure to women role models (preprogram 2.30, postprogram 3.79, p<0.0001), increased access to dedicated mentors (preprogram 2.11, postprogram 3.75, p<0.0001), and increased availability of support persons to answer their questions and concerns about careers in surgery (preprogram 3.03, postprogram 3.85, p=0.001). There was also a statistically significant increase in the reported effect that exposure to gender-concordant role models in surgery had on participants' decisions to con-sider a surgical career (preprogram 3.58, postprogram 4.23, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: This 6-month structured mentorship program for undergraduate premedical students increased mentees' exposure to positive women role models and mentors, and increased mentee's interest in pursuing a surgical career. This emphasizes the need for structured gender-concordant mentorship programs early in women's careers to encourage pursuit of surgi-cal careers in an otherwise men-dominated field. ( J Surg Ed 80:1089-1097.& COPY; 2023 Association of Program Direc-tors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Automated summary

This study evaluated the impact of a 6-month structured mentorship program on women premedical students' interests and perceptions of surgical careers. The program paired mentees with women medical students and surgical residents as mentors and showed significant increases in exposure to positive role models, access to dedicated mentors, and interest in pursuing a surgical career. The findings emphasize the importance of early structured gender-concordant mentorship programs to encourage women to pursue surgical careers in a male-dominated field.