TY - JOUR
T1 - The confidence gap
T2 - Findings for women in plastic surgery
AU - Van Boerum, Melody Scheefer
AU - Jarman, Angela F.
AU - Veith, Jacob
AU - McCarty Allen, Chelsea
AU - Holoyda, Kathleen A.
AU - Agarwal, Cori
AU - Crombie, Courtney
AU - Cochran, Amalia
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Background: In a surgical field, where surgeons are, “sometimes wrong, but never in doubt,” lack of confidence can have detrimental effects on career advancement. In other fields there is evidence that a gap exists between women and men in the amount of confidence they display, and that confidence is a proxy for success. Methods: This study used the General Self Efficacy Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale confidence surveys to assess self confidence amongst female trainees and attending plastic surgeons, to search for baseline characteristics associated with higher confidence scores. Results: Of the 73 participants, protective factors associated with increased female plastic surgeon confidence include age, parity, more advanced academic status, and mentorship. Conclusions: In order to matriculate into a surgical training program, there must be a measure of confidence and resiliency, but further work needs to be done to identify and address gender gaps in training and early academic careers.
AB - Background: In a surgical field, where surgeons are, “sometimes wrong, but never in doubt,” lack of confidence can have detrimental effects on career advancement. In other fields there is evidence that a gap exists between women and men in the amount of confidence they display, and that confidence is a proxy for success. Methods: This study used the General Self Efficacy Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale confidence surveys to assess self confidence amongst female trainees and attending plastic surgeons, to search for baseline characteristics associated with higher confidence scores. Results: Of the 73 participants, protective factors associated with increased female plastic surgeon confidence include age, parity, more advanced academic status, and mentorship. Conclusions: In order to matriculate into a surgical training program, there must be a measure of confidence and resiliency, but further work needs to be done to identify and address gender gaps in training and early academic careers.
KW - Confidence
KW - Gender differences
KW - Gender disparity
KW - Surgical education
KW - Women surgeons
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U2 - 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.06.037
DO - 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.06.037
M3 - Article
C2 - 32746978
AN - SCOPUS:85088970088
JO - American Journal of Surgery
JF - American Journal of Surgery
SN - 0002-9610
ER -