Female representation in intensive care medicine: Challenges and perspectives from China

Xuelian Liao; Yi Yang; Rubulotta Francesca; Yan Kang; Jordi Rello

doi:10.1016/j.jointm.2021.12.002

Female representation in intensive care medicine: Challenges and perspectives from China

J Intensive Med. 2022 Jan 7;2(2):89-91. doi: 10.1016/j.jointm.2021.12.002. eCollection 2022 Apr.

Authors

Xuelian Liao^{1

2}, Yi Yang³, Rubulotta Francesca⁴, Yan Kang^{1

2}, Jordi Rello⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Chengdu, Sichuan 610044, China.
² Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Tianfu Hospital, Sichuan University. Chengdu, Sichuan 610213, China.
³ Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China.
⁴ Department of Intensive Care Medicine, McGill University, Montreal H3A 0G4, Canada.
⁵ Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and Infections Area, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research, Barcelona 08035, Spain.

Abstract

The gender gap in the practice of intensive care medicine has increasingly been recognized as a problem in recent years. Despite limited information, the available data suggest that representation of women in the physician workforce, academic positions, and leadership roles in intensive care is inadequate globally. In this article, we describe the situation of female intensive care unit (ICU) physicians from the perspective of Chinese intensivists. The proportion of female ICU physicians in China has been increasing in recent years. The biggest challenges faced by female ICU physicians include balance of work and life, difficulties in career planning, and lack of academic influence. More attention and policy support should be provided to help them play a better role in intensive care medicine.

Keywords: Critical care; Female; Gender gap.