Organizational and Systems-Based Framework to Guide a Departmental Approach to Academic and Leadership Advancement for Women in Emergency Medicine

Objectives: To address gender disparities in career advancement in academic emergency medicine, we sought to identify specific and actionable approaches that an academic department could develop or enhance to create a sustainable pathway for advancement of women in academic and leadership roles. Methods: This project took place in an urban academic department of emergency medicine and included 3 phases: (1) a literature review to assess the current landscape, (2) interviews with key informants, and (3) a consensus process to organize and prioritize strategies. Results: Our literature review identified 55 manuscripts and key themes of mentorship, training, grant success, data and benchmarks, recognition, and institutional policies. Across 20 interviews with internal and external faculty members, themes that emerged were programs and training, barriers, facilitators, mentorship, and individual and system components. During our consensus review, potential strategies were organized by relative feasibility and importance. Ultimately, strategies for building standardized systems were prioritized for their achievability based on available resources and alignment with department priorities and policy. Conclusion: There are several strategic options that academic departments may pursue to address gender equity challenges. This includes building standardized systems to support equitable advancement of all faculty members across domains, including salary, support, and opportunities. Standardized approaches ensure that departments not only promote gender equity but also facilitate the professional growth and promotion of all faculty members.