GMKA’s Research in the World Journal of Surgery Demonstrates the Impact of Women’s Leadership on Reducing Gender Bias in Surgery
The Global Medical Knowledge Alliance (GMKA) has published a new manuscript in the World Journal of Surgery, the official publication of the International Society of Surgery. The research ‘Impact of Representation on Gender Stereotypes and Discrimination for Women Surgeons in Ukraine’, led by a team of Ukrainian women physicians and scientists, provides compelling evidence that the presence of women surgeons in leadership roles is associated with a significant reduction in workplace gender stereotypes, discr and sexual harassment.
This publication is part of GMKA’s nationwide study, Gender Disparity in Surgery in Ukraine (2024), which surveyed 340 female surgeons across Ukraine. The findings are striking:
- 48.5% reported experiencing gender-based stereotypes in the workplace;
- 80% encountered explicit discriminatory comments;
- 59.1% primarily assist in surgeries rather than perform them independently;
- 68.5% reported that patients expressed doubt in their surgical competence;
- 54.4% had experienced sexual harassment or objectification by colleagues — a figure consistent regardless of years in practice.
Crucially, the data revealed that when women surgeons held leadership positions, the odds of encountering gender stereotypes were significantly lower (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.32–0.84), as were the odds of experiencing sexual harassment (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.36–0.94).
Women's leadership matters. Gender-diverse teams and equitable access to leadership roles are critical steps toward building a healthcare workplace free from bias, stereotypes, and gender-based violence. Together with broader reforms, these changes will help transform the professional culture in medicine — allowing skilled physicians of all genders to focus on what matters most: delivering safe, high-quality care to patients, without having to prove their worth in the face of systemic bias constantly.