A Narrative Review of Women in Medicine Interest Groups at the Pre-Medical, Graduate, and Post-graduate Medical Education Levels
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2023.2281Keywords:
Toolkit, Women, Medicine, Education, Medical, Undergraduate, Pre-Medical, Graduate, Medical Education, Interest GroupsAbstract
Women in Medicine (WIM) interest groups can provide collaboration and support for the professional development of women as they navigate the gender inequities that persist in the healthcare workplace. This narrative review assesses successful methods used by multiple institutions to form groups and toolkits catered to women's empowerment. Medical career education was stratified into three levels: Pre-Medical, Graduate, and Post-graduate Medical Education. A keyword literature search on peer-reviewed platforms including Google Scholar, PubMed, OVID, EBSCO, and gray literature (i.e. medical societies toolkits) was used to identify applicable articles. We aimed to develop a toolkit derived from literature findings consisting of a list of ten steps for creating and maintaining a successful WIM group based on successful measures reported in the literature. Twenty-three studies were selected after screening using the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA). Data extraction was conducted systematically by three researchers who independently reviewed and documented key information from selected studies. Our analysis identified common success factors across all educational levels, including mentorship, adequate resources, administrative support, networking opportunities, and safe spaces as critical elements for women's career advancement in medicine. Based on these findings, we developed a comprehensive ten-step toolkit for institutions seeking to establish or improve their WIM groups. These implications extend beyond individual career advancement to institutional transformation and patient care improvement. Future research should focus on longitudinal outcome measures to evaluate the long-term impact of these interventions on career trajectories, leadership representation, and organizational climate change.
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