The Women in ORTHopaedics Workshop Provides Early Exposure to Orthopaedic Surgery for Young Women
Abstract
Purpose:
Women are underrepresented in orthopaedic surgery, evidenced by 16% representation of female residents in 2020.1 Prior studies have indicated that over 70% of females within orthopaedic surgery have experienced workplace conflict self-attributed to being female.2,3 In response, our Orthopaedics Department developed an orthopaedic curriculum tailored to young women in grades 10-12. The inaugural Women in ORTHopaedics (WORTH) workshop was held on June 10, 2023, aiming to deliver early exposure to different career options in orthopaedic surgery for young women and provide access to resources for ongoing skill development and knowledge acquisition. This event served as the inaugural step in establishing a longitudinal program aimed at engaging young women globally.
Method:
Participants completed a preliminary survey prior to the workshop. The workshop consisted of five hands-on sessions: Saw Bones, Orthopaedic Devices, Research, Engineering Applications, and Casting; followed by career panels. Another survey was administered following the workshop consisting of the same questions as the pre-survey, with additional questions regarding their event experience to assess changes to implement for future WORTH events. Participants shared their impressions of orthopaedics, interest in pursuing a career in this field, and awareness of available career pathways within this discipline. Additionally, the post-event survey included questions to gauge their inclination toward future WORTH participation.
Results:
Of the 128 attendees, 104 (81.25%) responded to the pre-event survey, and 56 (43.75%) responded to the post-event survey. Pre-event impressions of orthopaedics included sentiments such as “being new to this field” and “wanting to learn more.” Following the workshop, respondents reported that “[orthopaedics] encompasses a much larger range of subjects than expected” and “[is] a surprisingly diverse field with many opportunities for those with different interests.” When comparing pre- and post-survey responses, there was an increase in interest in pursuing a career in orthopaedics after the workshop (55.32% to 65.45%). Furthermore, 100% expressed that they would attend future WORTH events, evidenced by registration for the next event outpacing the inaugural workshop.
Conclusion:
Findings indicate that WORTH played a constructive role in guiding young women toward trajectories beyond secondary education. Additionally, it provided insights into the multitude of career options available in Orthopaedics apart from surgery, including physiotherapy, nursing, research and biomedical engineering.