Equity and Gender Issues Among Members of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology

BACKGROUND: Gender equity has historically been a challenge within gastroenterology. AIMS: The Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG) developed a survey to identify issues pertaining to equity and gender faced by its membership and to determine areas of action. METHODS: In 2014, the survey was emailed to all 1155 CAG members, and the data were analyzed using statistical methods. RESULTS: One hundred eleven CAG members responded to the survey. Of those, 52% were male, 75% were between 26 and 45 years of age, and 55% were in their first decade of practice. More males held the status of full professor (21% versus 0%; P=0.022). Male CAG members reported working more hours per week than their female counterparts (58.3 ± 15.4 versus 52.3 ± 11.8, P=0.025). Regarding commitments outside the workplace, 81% of respondents had a spouse/partner, and 52% had children under 18 years of age, both of which did not significantly differ based on gender. Overall, 70% were satisfied or very satisfied with their career path. However, significantly more females felt their age/ethnicity/gender/marital status hindered career advancement (36% versus 14%; P=0.008). Furthermore, more females reported difficulties attaining work-life balance (45% versus 22%; P=0.015). CONCLUSIONS: This survey highlights that gender and equity challenges continue to exist within gastroenterology. The needs assessment highlights that work-life balance, physician well-being, negotiation skills and mentorship are areas of importance to many CAG members.