Gender Disparities in Faculty Rank: Factors that Affect Advancement of Women Scientists at Academic Medical Centers

Cristina M. López, Cara Margherio, Latecia M. Abraham-Hilaire and Carol Feghali-Bostwick
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Cristina M. López: College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
Cara Margherio: Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Latecia M. Abraham-Hilaire: Academic Affairs Faculty, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
Carol Feghali-Bostwick: Center for ARROWS and College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA

Social Sciences, 2018, vol. 7, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: While a significant portion of women within academic science are employed within medical schools, women faculty in these academic medical centers are disproportionately represented in lower faculty ranks. The medical school setting is a critical case for both understanding and advancing women in basic sciences. This study highlights the findings from focus groups conducted with women faculty across Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor ranks ( n = 35) in which they discussed barriers and facilitators for advancement of women basic scientists at an academic medical center. Qualitative analysis demonstrated several emergent themes that affect women’s advancement, including gendered expectation norms (e.g., good citizenship, volunteerism), work-life balance, mentorship/sponsorship, adoption of a team science approach, tenure process milestones, soft money research infrastructure, institution specific policies (or lack thereof), and operating within an MD-biased culture. These findings are compared with the extant literature of women scientists in STEM institutions. Factors that emerged from these focus groups highlight the need for evidence-based interventions in the often overlooked STEM arena of academic medical centers.

Keywords: women in science; academic rank; gender disparities; gender bias; academic medical centers; women faculty; medical schools; tenure and promotion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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