Latinas in medicine: evaluating and understanding the experience of Latinas in medical education: a cross sectional survey
Abstract Background The percentage of physicians identifying as Latina has not improved despite improvements in recruitment of Latina medical students, suggesting barriers to retention and career advancement. Discriminatory experiences and mental health inflictions throughout training may contribute...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04982-y |
| _version_ | 1797363176154595328 |
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| author | Gabriella Geiger Lauren Kiel Miki Horiguchi Celia Martinez-Aceves Kelly Meza Briana Christophers Priscilla Orellana Maria Mora Pinzon Sam J. Lubner Narjust Florez |
| author_facet | Gabriella Geiger Lauren Kiel Miki Horiguchi Celia Martinez-Aceves Kelly Meza Briana Christophers Priscilla Orellana Maria Mora Pinzon Sam J. Lubner Narjust Florez |
| author_sort | Gabriella Geiger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The percentage of physicians identifying as Latina has not improved despite improvements in recruitment of Latina medical students, suggesting barriers to retention and career advancement. Discriminatory experiences and mental health inflictions throughout training may contribute to difficulties in recruitment, retainment, and advancement of Hispanic/Latinx trainees, a notably understudied population. Methods An anonymous, online survey was distributed to Latinas in the continental U.S. between June 22 to August 12, 2022. Eligibility criteria included: self-identifying as Hispanic/Latina, female/woman, and completing or have completed medical school, residency, or fellowship in the continental U.S. in the past 10 years. Recruitment was done via the Twitter account @LatinasInMed and outreach to Latino Medical Student Association chapters. Descriptive statistics summarized the self-reported experiences. Results The survey included 230 Hispanic/Latinx women, mostly medical students (46.9%). A majority (54.5%) reported negative ethnicity-based interactions from patients and/or patients’ families; 71.8%, from others in the medical field. High rates of depression (76.2%) and anxiety (92.6%) during training were reported by Latinas, especially medical students. Feelings of imposter syndrome and burnout were high at 90.7% and 87.4%, respectively. Conclusions This is the first study evaluating the unique experiences of Latinas in medicine, who reported discrimination and mental health struggles, specifically during medical school, at alarmingly high rates. Our findings could aid in creating the needed interventions to support Latinas in medical training to reduce the existing exodus of Latinas from medicine. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:17:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-472e5361c3834296a42f2640e1c88a92 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:17:13Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-472e5361c3834296a42f2640e1c88a922024-01-07T12:31:05ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202024-01-012411710.1186/s12909-023-04982-yLatinas in medicine: evaluating and understanding the experience of Latinas in medical education: a cross sectional surveyGabriella Geiger0Lauren Kiel1Miki Horiguchi2Celia Martinez-Aceves3Kelly Meza4Briana Christophers5Priscilla Orellana6Maria Mora Pinzon7Sam J. Lubner8Narjust Florez9University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public HealthLowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteLowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteYale UniversityLowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteWeill Cornell/Rockefeller/Memorial Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD ProgramSt. George’s University School of MedicineDivision of Geriatrics and Gerontology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public HealthDivision of Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of WisconsinLowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteAbstract Background The percentage of physicians identifying as Latina has not improved despite improvements in recruitment of Latina medical students, suggesting barriers to retention and career advancement. Discriminatory experiences and mental health inflictions throughout training may contribute to difficulties in recruitment, retainment, and advancement of Hispanic/Latinx trainees, a notably understudied population. Methods An anonymous, online survey was distributed to Latinas in the continental U.S. between June 22 to August 12, 2022. Eligibility criteria included: self-identifying as Hispanic/Latina, female/woman, and completing or have completed medical school, residency, or fellowship in the continental U.S. in the past 10 years. Recruitment was done via the Twitter account @LatinasInMed and outreach to Latino Medical Student Association chapters. Descriptive statistics summarized the self-reported experiences. Results The survey included 230 Hispanic/Latinx women, mostly medical students (46.9%). A majority (54.5%) reported negative ethnicity-based interactions from patients and/or patients’ families; 71.8%, from others in the medical field. High rates of depression (76.2%) and anxiety (92.6%) during training were reported by Latinas, especially medical students. Feelings of imposter syndrome and burnout were high at 90.7% and 87.4%, respectively. Conclusions This is the first study evaluating the unique experiences of Latinas in medicine, who reported discrimination and mental health struggles, specifically during medical school, at alarmingly high rates. Our findings could aid in creating the needed interventions to support Latinas in medical training to reduce the existing exodus of Latinas from medicine.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04982-yLatinasMedical educationDiscriminationBurnout |
| spellingShingle | Gabriella Geiger Lauren Kiel Miki Horiguchi Celia Martinez-Aceves Kelly Meza Briana Christophers Priscilla Orellana Maria Mora Pinzon Sam J. Lubner Narjust Florez Latinas in medicine: evaluating and understanding the experience of Latinas in medical education: a cross sectional survey BMC Medical Education Latinas Medical education Discrimination Burnout |
| title | Latinas in medicine: evaluating and understanding the experience of Latinas in medical education: a cross sectional survey |
| title_full | Latinas in medicine: evaluating and understanding the experience of Latinas in medical education: a cross sectional survey |
| title_fullStr | Latinas in medicine: evaluating and understanding the experience of Latinas in medical education: a cross sectional survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Latinas in medicine: evaluating and understanding the experience of Latinas in medical education: a cross sectional survey |
| title_short | Latinas in medicine: evaluating and understanding the experience of Latinas in medical education: a cross sectional survey |
| title_sort | latinas in medicine evaluating and understanding the experience of latinas in medical education a cross sectional survey |
| topic | Latinas Medical education Discrimination Burnout |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04982-y |
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