Special Session--Strategies to Navigate an Academic Career in CF

A 2024 survey characterized the current U.S. CF physician workforce demographics and described their needs for and barriers to sustaining successful careers in CF care. Approximately 60% of respondents identified as women. Among faculty respondents, women had 3.7 higher odds of experiencing barriers to promotion compared to men (p = 0.002) and reported more barriers than men (p = 0.001). Notably, women faculty were 9.6 times more likely to report experiencing discrimination compared to men (p < 0.0001). In addition, women trainees were 2.9 times more likely to experience discrimination compared to men (p= 0.02).

Ensuring the well-being and retention of all those in our CF workforce is important for the health and care of our patients and families. A diverse physician workforce is better equipped to address healthcare disparities, improve patient outcomes, and increase patient satisfaction. Interestingly, while further investigation is needed, several studies have demonstrated that patients cared for by women physicians have better outcomes and that women physicians are better at patient-centered care than men. Importantly, in a field such as pediatrics in which >70% of graduating trainees are women, retention and fostering of the careers of women physicians is crucial to ensure a sustainable workforce.

The goal of this symposium is to review evidence related to gender equity in academic medicine, provide interactive training on how to advocate for equity, and highlight key issues related to negotiation and self-promotion. This session builds on the success of the highly attended “Overview of the U.S. CF Physician Workforce” special session at NACFC 2024. It responds directly to the survey findings and the panel and audience discussion by offering practical ways to sustain and support the workforce our patients and families need and deserve.