• Freda L Arlow, Patricia L Raymond, Robyn G Karlstadt, Raquel Croitoru, Benjamin A Rybicki, and Suriya V Sastri.
• Department of Gastroenterology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
• Am. J. Gastroenterol. 2002 Feb 1; 97 (2): 459-69.

ObjectiveWe aimed to determine if gender differences exist in the selection and training of female and male gastroenterology fellows.MethodsOne hundred seventy-six of 218 training program directors returned an 18-question survey about their programs, including leave policies, training, and prevalence of female faculty. Two cohorts of graduating trainees from 1993 and 1995 (N = 393) returned anonymous surveys regarding their training program experiences, demographics, and business training.ResultsFemale gastroenterology trainees are more likely to choose programs according to parental leave policies (p < 0.05), female faculty (0.2990 correlation coefficient), and "family reasons" (p < 0.04) than the male trainees. Female trainees were more likely to remain childless (p < 0.001) or have fewer children at the end of training despite marital status not unlike their male colleagues. Female trainees altered their family planning because of training program restrictions (20% vs 7%, p < 0.001). They perceived gender discrimination (39%) and sexual harassment (19%) during gastroenterology training. Trainees of both sexes had mentorship during training (65% vs 71%, ns); female trainees were more likely to have an opposite sex mentor (71% vs 3.4%) despite an almost 50% prevalence of female full-time and clinical faculty. Female trainees were apt to be less trained in advanced endoscopy (p < 0.005). Trainees of both sexes were influenced by the changing health care environment in career choice (49% vs 42%, ns); neither gender felt adequately prepared for the business aspects of gastroenterology.ConclusionAlterations in gastroenterology training are needed to attract qualified female applicants. New graduates of both sexes lack practice management education.

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