Thread by @dr_benoy_n_shah

Well, #EACTS2021 may be over...but I'm not done! 😆

One of the most important sessions was on Women In Cardiothoracic Surgery

I suppose I should clarify - not writing a 🧵on this for likes or 'virtue signalling' - my wife's journey through her training gave me some insights...

#EACTS2021
Opening talk on why @EACTS needs a womne's committee from @JolandaKluin - this was a great talk to set the tone for the session

#EACTS2021
Prof Kluin discussed the many challenges that can face women in medicine, in academic medicine, in surgery and in cardiac surgery

#EACTS2021
Cannot tell you how much I loved this point. Prof Kluin explained how she could have used either of these title slides - both are true, one more modest than the other, one more likely to be used by women than men. When one takes a step back & thinks about it...so true

#EACTS2021
Prof Kluin also alluded to constant challenges women face in all walks of life - even the President of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, and the now infamous #sofagate episode - worth watching the video if you missed this

#EACTS2021
Next talk from @pompili_cecilia presenting the results of the EACTS gender bias survey

#EACTS2021
Started with male/female membership % in UK and Italy - extremely low in 🇬🇧

#EACTS2021

Impressive response rates - over 1100 replies, I think just over 2/3 from men and just under 1/3 from women (from memory!)

#EACTS2021

I think unsurprisingly, yet sadly, women much more likely to have considered leaving due to gender bias, or to have felt discriminated against at work on the basis of simply being a woman ☹️

#EACTS2021

Some important lessons here for those planning and in charge of surgical training. Women don't feel supported at work - don't complain we don't have enough surgeons, yet fail to stop behaviours that can trigger the loss of trainees!

#EACTS2021
Next talk from Dr Jasmine Hanke reporting results of the German survey on Women in Cardiac Surgery

#EACTS2021

I liked this summary slide of the multiple - really, it's *multiple* - challenges and career-limiting factors for women as a whole, not just in surgery

#EACTS2021

So...this is what they did...all centres responded. Dr Hanke was pleasantly surprised to learn that 24.7% of trainees were female, much higher than she expected / perceived

#EACTS2021

Just look at this...especially the top 2...😠

I'm pretty sure that will have been unsolicited 'advice' from men that may have thought they were 'trying to help'

More on this later...

#EACTS2021

Great talk next from Barbara Cador, who is a non-medic and gave a corporate / business overview of women in science - really interesting talk!

#EACTS2021

Started off by showing % of people in different countries that would be comfortable with a woman as a leader...why is this not 100%? Surely you want the best person, irespective of gender?

And look at Jacinda Ardern! Has there been a better leader in past 2 years?

#EACTS2021

I am sure this slide was depressing for women - only 74% of women perceive other women as equally suited for leadership roles as men - love the Madeleine A quote!

#EACTS2021

Finally, some practical tools and ideas for how to address these issues...I particularly like #2

#EACTS2021

Final talk from Dr Julie Cleuziou, addressing gender disparities in academic surgery

#EACTS2021
Great to see more women attending at meetings and presenting at them...

But still so few at some meetings are invited speakers and chairpersons

#EACTS2021

Men are more likely to invite men to participate in meetings, and women are more likely to invite women

So...if you want more women at your meeting, you need to involve women in *planning* the meeting!

#EACTS2021

Conclusions...

#EACTS2021
So...why do I feel this resonates so much? Well, apart from the fact that it is an obvious and big inequality - and most of us don't like inequalities - as I said above my wife - an anaesthetist - had a lot of nonsense from men in her training too

#EACTS2021
Decided on a career in anaesthetics, well on the way through training yet the frequent uninvited 'advice':
"Have you not thought above GP?"
"You know it's hard with children and the early starts"
"Do you need to work if your husband is a Dr too?"

etc ad infinitum

#EACTS2021
Tip to my fellow men - even though you may think this 'advice' is helpful, in almost all situations it isn't!

If your advice on a woman's career isn't sought...don't give it! Seriously, learn when to stfu!

End/