Date of Graduation
1997
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions held by female and male osteopathic students in regard to the status of women in the osteopathic medical education environment. Three general categories were examined: family/career conflict, professional representation, and gender discrimination. A sample of 576 students finishing their second year of education at five osteopathic medical schools in the United States was surveyed with a final return rate of 69.44%. Schools were selected by purposive sampling and data were analyzed using general linear models. The focus of the analysis was to compare the perceptions females and males reported regarding 26 Likert-type statements on the survey. These statements were grouped according to the three categories to be examined. Additionally, effort was made to ascertain if demographic characteristics had statistical significance in regard to student responses. Demographics were found to be significant at various stages throughout the evaluations. Evaluation of the data indicated that women still face challenges combining family and career. Although their male counterparts generally expressed positive support for all statements in this segment, women responded in the positive in higher percentages to each statement. Overall data seemed to suggest that males still perceive the solution of family/career conflict as a woman's dilemma and not a problem for the profession to solve. The data regarding student perceptions of professional representation indicated women still have challenges in this area. Discrepancies in how females and males view such issues as female role models, women bringing something different to the practice of medicine, and compensation were evident. One area of agreement was the perceived lack of overt institutional messages regarding the importance of participation by women physicians in all aspects of the academic program. Data suggest gender discrimination, the third area examined, is present on osteopathic medical school campuses. There were gender differences in opinions regarding women's sensitivity to the issue of sexual harassment and whether a statement can be sexist if it is unintentional. There was agreement that sexist statements are heard in classrooms and that certain medical specialties are more suited to one gender than another.
Recommended Citation
Thompson, Carolyn Bailey, "Comparison of male and female osteopathic student perceptions of the status of women in the osteopathic medical education environment." (1997). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 9900.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/9900