Factors That Influence Female Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Decision to Pursue a Career in Sports Medicine: A Mixed-Methods Study

This study provides an analysis of women's exposure to sports medicine, revealing perceived sex discrimination from multiple sources during their clinical training. Such discrimination, however, does not directly affect their decision to pursue a career in sports medicine and is comparable with women across orthopaedics in general. Factors influencing women's career decision making in sports medicine include the scope of practice and cultural considerations. These data may serve as the foundation to increase women's representation within sports medicine. Future research comparing the perception of bias and discrimination rates among men within sports medicine and comparison studies with other orthopaedic specialties are necessary to provide additional context to the current trends within women throughout orthopaedics.