“Lead like a woman”: strengthening healthcare, medical imaging, and oncology through female leadership

Women are overall underrepresented in high-level leadership positions across organisations, particularly in the fields of healthcare, medical imaging, and oncology, despite the majority of the workforce in these industries being female. Women leaders often remain in these roles for shorter times, despite evidence documenting their value in increasing team wellbeing, productivity and collaboration and supporting organisational integrity, sustainability, diversity and inclusion. The reasons are complex, but often due to a lack of ongoing support or poor local culture. There is an urgent need to harness the potential of female leadership, not only to leverage equity and diversity, but mainly to solve the complex healthcare challenges of our diverse society now and in the future. Customised training and mentoring, clearer career pathways, flexible work, workplace adaptations and male allyship are key to raising, nurturing and supporting female leaders in the long term.