When her scalpels get stuck on the sticky floors: a qualitative study based on the experiences of female surgical faculty members in Korea.

Abstract

Purpose: This study explores the unique experiences and challenges faced by female surgical faculty members in Korea, particularly the transition from resident to faculty and the challenges that follow.

Methods: Fifteen female surgeons from diverse surgical specialties, age groups, and medical institutions across Korea were recruited using snowball sampling. In-depth, semi-structured 1:1 interviews were conducted, recorded, and transcribed. Grounded theory was used to analyze the data, identifying recurring themes.

Results: Four key themes emerged from the interviews: (1) Sticky floors and broken trail ropes: Female surgeons face a harsh, male-dominated environment with scarce resources for career advancement, often excluded from crucial networks. (2) Strategies: To cope with harsh environments, participants employed various strategies, including silent endurance, mobilizing external resources, exerting 'feminine' strength, and learning from the follies of others, or choosing not to use some of them. (3) Triumph and resentment: While participants experienced feelings of self-esteem and self-fulfillment as well as insight and flexibility, many also faced pressures of representation and burnout. (4) Building new resources: Participants sought to provide a system with enhanced transparency and fairness, a new network of support, and mentoring for future generations.

Conclusion: This preliminary research demonstrates that female faculty members have overcome adversity; however, it also reveals that the challenges they face and their responses to them can act as risks that hinder their patient care and overall well-being, jeopardizing sustainability. Both the surgical field and the broader medical community must devote sufficient attention and resources to address this issue.