Duo Helen Wei1, Polina V Kukhareva2, Donghua Tao3, Margarita Sordo4, Deepti Pandita5, Prerna Dua6, Imon Banerjee7, Joanna Abraham8. 1. Computer Science Department, School of Business, Stockton University, Galloway, New Jersey, USA. 2. Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. 3. Information Service, Medical Center Library, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. 4. Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 5. Department of Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. 6. Health Informatics and Information Management, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, Louisiana, USA. 7. Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic and SCAI, Arizona State University, Arizona, USA. 8. Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We sought to ascertain perceived factors affecting women's career development efforts in the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) and to provide recommendations for improvements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected using a 27-item survey administered via the AMIA newsletter and other social channels. Survey questions comprised 3 demographics, 15 Likert-scale, and 9 open-ended items. Likert-scale responses were summarized across respondent ages, career stages, and career domains, and open-ended responses were thematically analyzed. RESULTS: We received survey responses from 109 AMIA women members. Our findings demonstrate that AMIA had made strides in promoting career development, and the most effective AMIA efforts included social events (83%), panel discussions (80%), and scientific sessions (79%). However, despite these efforts, women members perceived that gender-specific challenges persisted within AMIA, and recognized the need for increased networking opportunities (96%), raising awareness of gender-specific challenges (95%), and encouraging gender proportional representation in leadership (92%). DISCUSSION: International and national biomedical informatics professional communities have put forth efforts to address gender-specific issues in career development. Yet, our study identified that some of these, including the deep-rooted gender power hierarchy and bias, are still perceived as profound in AMIA. CONCLUSION: Even though existing career development efforts for women are highly effective, important perceived gender-specific career development issues require further attention and investigation to improve existing AMIA activities.
OBJECTIVE: We sought to ascertain perceived factors affecting women's career development efforts in the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) and to provide recommendations for improvements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected using a 27-item survey administered via the AMIA newsletter and other social channels. Survey questions comprised 3 demographics, 15 Likert-scale, and 9 open-ended items. Likert-scale responses were summarized across respondent ages, career stages, and career domains, and open-ended responses were thematically analyzed. RESULTS: We received survey responses from 109 AMIA women members. Our findings demonstrate that AMIA had made strides in promoting career development, and the most effective AMIA efforts included social events (83%), panel discussions (80%), and scientific sessions (79%). However, despite these efforts, women members perceived that gender-specific challenges persisted within AMIA, and recognized the need for increased networking opportunities (96%), raising awareness of gender-specific challenges (95%), and encouraging gender proportional representation in leadership (92%). DISCUSSION: International and national biomedical informatics professional communities have put forth efforts to address gender-specific issues in career development. Yet, our study identified that some of these, including the deep-rooted gender power hierarchy and bias, are still perceived as profound in AMIA. CONCLUSION: Even though existing career development efforts for women are highly effective, important perceived gender-specific career development issues require further attention and investigation to improve existing AMIA activities.
Authors: Reshma Jagsi; Kent A Griffith; Abigail Stewart; Dana Sambuco; Rochelle DeCastro; Peter A Ubel Journal: Acad Med Date: 2013-11 Impact factor: 6.893
Authors: Greg Ogrinc; Louise Davies; Daisy Goodman; Paul Batalden; Frank Davidoff; David Stevens Journal: BMJ Qual Saf Date: 2015-09-14 Impact factor: 7.035