Breaking the Glass Ceiling: It’s 2023, Time to Fix the Leaky Pipeline in
Surgery and ENT
Abstract
The “leaky pipeline” concept in surgery refers to the phenomenon of
losing capable individuals at various stages of surgical training due to
systemic structural barriers and workplace culture. Despite growing
numbers of women entering medical schools, the pipeline to surgical
leadership remains predominantly male-dominated. Sexual harassment,
bullying, and discrimination against women are pervasive, making it
difficult for female surgeons to thrive. Moreover, surgical training is
notoriously inflexible, with long working hours and high demands on
personal time, disproportionately affecting women. In response, Women in
Surgery network and the Women in ENT group have been established to
provide mentorship opportunities, access to networking events and
educational resources, and create a more inclusive and equitable
workplace culture. The Royal College of Surgeons of England has
commissioned the Kennedy report on diversity in surgery, which includes
recommendations addressing the attrition of women in surgery. These
initiatives have led to a rise in female ENT surgeons over the last
decade, with an increase in female ENT surgical trainees from 32% to
approximately 48%, and growth among women serving as ENT consultants,
increasing from 10% to 18%. While the progress made by these
initiatives towards increasing gender diversity in surgery is
commendable, progress has been slow, and more comprehensive and
multifaceted approaches are needed. The article argues that active
participation of all stakeholders, including the Colleges, organizations
responsible for surgical training, and surgeons is required to change
this culture and fix the leaky pipeline.