Exploring Gender and Leadership Trajectories in Academic Anesthesiology: Qualitative Content Analysis of Turkish Department Chairs

Background and aim: In the evolving landscape of anesthesiology, anesthesiologists play a pivotal role that extends beyond providing clinical care. Anesthesiologists exhibit adept collaboration skills, particularly in high-stress environments, showcasing their leadership and management proficiencies. While the terms "leader" and "manager" hold distinct connotations, leaders often fulfill managerial roles. Gender disparities are prevalent in anesthesiology leadership, mirroring broader trends across professions. In 2023, this study conducts a bibliometric analysis of academic professionals holding department head positions in Turkish anesthesiology and reanimation, scrutinizing gender distribution and categorizing them based on their institutions' administrative attributes to illuminate leadership patterns within the field. Material & Methods: The hospitals in our country that offer anesthesiology and reanimation training clinics were categorized into three groups. The official websites of each hospital within the group were individually reviewed to gather information on anesthesiology specialist physicians who serve as department managers in the anesthesiology and reanimation clinics. The quantity of male and female anesthesiology department managers in each group was computed and thereafter compared between the groups. Results: An analysis of the gender distribution among anesthesiology department managers in hospitals with training clinics revealed that 54% were male and 46% were female. There was no difference in the gender distribution between the three categories based on the analysis of data from a total of 100 institutions (p>0.05). Conclusion: In 2023, the proportion of female anesthesiologists in leadership positions within their respective departments in our country exceeds the reported global average for female anesthesiologists. Keywords: Gender equity; leadership; anesthesia; academia