Fixing the leaky pipeline: gender imbalance in gastroenterology in Asia-Pacific region

• Main Authors: Devi, Jalpa, Chan, Ting Ting, Lui, Rashid, Raja Affendi, Raja Ali *
• Format: Article
• Published: Wiley 2023
• Subjects: HD Industries. Land use. Labor; RC Internal medicine
• Online Access: http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2752/; https://doi.org/10.1111/jgh.16353
• Institution: Sunway University

Gender disparities in medicine are a burning issue,1 and arguably, such disparities are most glaring in the field of gastroenterology (GI). Historically, a male-dominated field, this can be attributed to several factors such as longer training, less flexible work schedules, and physically demanding responsibilities, which could hamper work–life balance, especially for females.2 The current ratio of female to male medical students is approximately 4:1, which is often referred to as the “feminization of Medicine.”3-5 However, this has yet to be reflected in GI where despite an upward trend in recent years, there is still a significant gender gap in the field, with only 34% of GI residents6 and 19% of practicing gastroenterologists being women in the United States.7 According to data from the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, only 7% of qualified supervisors and 12% of fellows were females.8 This disparity is even more apparent in the subspecialty of interventional endoscopy.9