Mistaken Identity

Frequency and Effects of Gender-Based Professional Misidentification of Resident Physicians

Bibliographic Data

ID21614636
AuthorsShana Berwick (S. Berwickis a hematology/oncology fellow, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York., corresponding author), Hila Calev (H. Calevis a hospitalist, Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia.), Andrew Matthews (0000-0001-5210-2453, A. Matthewsis a hematology/oncology fellow, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; ORCID:.), Amrita Mukhopadhyay (0000-0002-7768-459X, A. Mukhopadhyayis a cardiology fellow, New York University, New York, New York.), Brian Poole (0000-0002-7357-4019, B. Pooleis a pulmonary and critical care fellow, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.), Brian R Poole (0009-0003-6699-9259, Twitter (United States)), Jordan Talan (J. Talanis a pulmonary and critical care fellow, New York University, New York, New York.), Margaret M Hayes (0000-0002-5848-6088, M.M. Hayesis a pulmonary and critical care attending physician and associate director, Residency Program, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.), Christopher C Smith (Twitter (United States)), C Christopher Smith (C.C. Smithis a primary care physician and director, Residency Program, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.)
Year2021
Volume96
Issue6
Pages869-875
Publication date2021-06-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAcademic Medicine (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1040-2446 • E-ISSN: 1938-808X
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/acm.0000000000004060
PMID33735130
OpenAlexW3138772127
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited14

PURPOSE: Evaluation of the medical profession at all levels has exposed episodes of gender-based role misidentification whereby women physicians are disproportionately misidentified as nonphysicians. The authors of this study investigate this phenomenon and its repercussions, quantifying the frequency with which resident physicians experience role misidentification and the effect this has on their experience and behavior. METHOD: In 2018, the authors conducted a cross-sectional survey study of internal medicine, surgical, and emergency medicine residents at a single, large, urban, tertiary academic medical center. The survey tool captured both the self-reported frequency and effect of professional misidentification. The authors used a t test and linear multivariate regression to analyze the results. RESULTS: Of the 260 residents who received the survey, 186 (72%) responded, and the authors analyzed the responses of 182. All 85 of the women respondents (100%) reported being misidentified as nonphysicians at least once in their professional experience by patients or staff members, compared with 49% of the 97 men respondents. Of those 182 residents, 35% of women were misidentified more than 8 times per month by patients compared with 1% of men. Of the 85 women physicians responding to the survey, 38% felt angry and 36% felt less satisfied with their jobs as a result of misidentification compared with, respectively, 7% and 9% of men. In response to role misidentification, 51% of women changed their manner of attire and 81% changed their manner of introduction, compared with, respectively, 7% and 37% of men. CONCLUSIONS: These survey results demonstrate that women physicians are more likely than men physicians to be misidentified as nonphysicians and that role misidentification provokes gender-polarized psychological and behavioral responses that have potentially important professional ramifications

Bayesian multivariate linear regression · Cross-sectional study · Family medicine · Multivariate analysis · Regression analysis · Diversity and Career in Medicine · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Innovations in Medical Education · Medicine · Psychology · Internal Medicine

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