Will you choose neurosurgery as your career? An Indian female medical student perspective

Abstract

Objective: We aim at recognising the reasons that discourage female medical students to consider neurosurgery as a career, from an Indian perspective.

Methodology: An online survey was disseminated in various medical colleges of India. The study included female medical students (both cis and trans). The questionnaire consisted of objective questions on mentorship, opportunities and exposure. Their concerns on long working hours and the reasons for the same were recorded.

Results: 348 responses were included of which 79.9 % of students felt they didn't receive proper exposure to neurosurgery in their medical school. 87.4 % of the respondents faced a lack of opportunity and mentorship for research. 65.2 % of students felt that they would be more interested in neurosurgery if a female professor were to mentor them. Long working hours and Reduced Family and Personal time were identified as statistically significant factors (p < 0.001) that play a role in demotivating female medical students towards neurosurgery. Altered quality of life was the most frequent (79.49 %) and significant reason (p = 0.004) as to why long working hours were a concern for them. 65.07 % of participants did not consider physical strength to be a hurdle (p = 0.008). Approximately 37.6 % participants felt that maternity and neurosurgery could be incompatible (p = 0.005).

Conclusions: The study brings out the notions that female medical students have regarding the long working hours and decreased family and personal time, complicated by pregnancy and maternal leave in the life of female neurosurgeon.

Keywords: Female; Indian medical student; Neurosurgery; Women in neurosurgery.