Looking beyond workforce parity: addressing gender inequity in pathology

Catriona A McKenzie; Ruta Gupta; Louise Jackett; Lyndal Anderson; Vivien Chen; Jane E Dahlstrom; Michael Dray; Gelareh Farshid; Chris Hemmings; Rooshdiya Karim; James G Kench; Sonja Klebe; Nicole Kramer; Priyanthi Kumarasinghe; Fiona Maclean; Adrienne Morey; Minh Anh Nguyen; Sandra O'Toole; Beverley Rowbotham; Elizabeth L C Salisbury; Richard A Scolyer; Katie Stewart; Lynette Waring; Caroline L Cooper; Wendy A Cooper

doi:10.1016/j.pathol.2023.07.002

Looking beyond workforce parity: addressing gender inequity in pathology

Pathology. 2023 Oct;55(6):760-771. doi: 10.1016/j.pathol.2023.07.002. Epub 2023 Jul 25.

Authors

Catriona A McKenzie¹, Ruta Gupta², Louise Jackett³, Lyndal Anderson², Vivien Chen⁴, Jane E Dahlstrom⁵, Michael Dray⁶, Gelareh Farshid⁷, Chris Hemmings⁸, Rooshdiya Karim², James G Kench², Sonja Klebe⁹, Nicole Kramer¹⁰, Priyanthi Kumarasinghe¹¹, Fiona Maclean¹², Adrienne Morey⁵, Minh Anh Nguyen¹³, Sandra O'Toole¹⁴, Beverley Rowbotham¹⁵, Elizabeth L C Salisbury¹⁶, Richard A Scolyer¹⁷, Katie Stewart³, Lynette Waring¹⁸, Caroline L Cooper¹⁹, Wendy A Cooper¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, NSW Health Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: catriona.mckenzie@health.nsw.gov.au.
² Department of Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, NSW Health Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
³ Austin Health Pathology, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.
⁴ Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Haematology Concord Repatriation and General Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁵ ACT Pathology Canberra Health Services, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁶ Waikato DHB Laboratory, Hamilton, New Zealand.
⁷ SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA, Australia; University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
⁸ Department of Anatomic Pathology Canterbury Health Laboratories, Christchurch, New Zealand; Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
⁹ SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
¹⁰ Envoi Pathology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
¹¹ PathWest, Perth, WA, Australia; Curtin Medical School, Perth, WA, Australia.
¹² Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology Sonic Healthcare, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
¹³ Department of Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, NSW Health Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
¹⁴ Department of Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, NSW Health Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
¹⁵ Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia; The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
¹⁶ Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; ICPMR Westmead Hospital, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
¹⁷ Department of Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, NSW Health Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
¹⁸ Melbourne Pathology, Collingwood, Vic, Australia.
¹⁹ The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia; Pathology Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

PMID: 37573162
DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2023.07.002

Abstract

While women pathologists have made up over one-third of pathologists in the Australian workforce for over 15 years and at least 50% since 2019, they are under-represented in senior leadership roles, scientific publications, grant recipients, editorial boards, key presentations, and professional awards. This is not unique to pathology and is seen in the broader medical and academic community. Barriers to gender equity and equality in pathology, medicine and academia include gender stereotypes, gender-based discrimination, structural and organisational barriers as well as broader social and cultural barriers. A diverse leadership reflective of the whole professional body and the broader community is important for optimal health outcomes. It is the responsibility and moral duty of individuals and organisations to address any gender disparities, inequities, and inequalities by monitoring, identifying, and acting on gender biases and systemic barriers that hinder appropriate levels of representation by women.

Keywords: Pathology; gender; gender bias; gender stereotypes.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Australia
Female
Gender Equity*
Humans
Sexism*
Workforce