Abstract
BACKGROUND: Globally, billions of people lack access to safe surgical care. Women represent a valuable resource to tackle the healthcare workforce shortage which impedes the delivery of surgery. With women entering the global health workforce at an increasing rate, Operation Smile (OS) launched the Women in Medicine program to create women-led leadership and mentorship opportunities for women healthcare workers to empower them to become leaders in healthcare. PURPOSE: This multi-regional study aims to evaluate the experiences of healthcare providers on OS all-women surgical programs and the impact of participation on leadership and mentorship opportunities. METHODS: In 2022, OS conducted four cleft surgical programs with all-women providers in Morocco, Peru, Malawi, and the Philippines. Providers from various specialties participating in the programs were surveyed. Participants were invited to complete the surveys anonymously in the final two days of each program. Analysis involved descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. RESULTS: Across all programs, 215 providers from 36 countries were surveyed. Ninety-seven percent of participants reported improvement in their technical and non-technical skills. Eighty-two percent reported that the program motivated them to seek leadership positions, despite only 37% having prior leadership experience on an OS program. Participating in an all-women team motivated 96% to seek mentorship from another woman and 99% to mentor others. Overall, 98% of providers across all regions and specialties supported the importance of women leadership, and 95% endorsed women mentorship. CONCLUSION: Promoting gender equity is crucial to address the ongoing healthcare workforce shortage and improve access to safe surgical care. This study demonstrates the importance of mentorship between women to advance into leadership positions. Programs that provide women in healthcare with educational, mentorship, and leadership opportunities can effectively equip them with the skills needed to advance their careers and strengthen the global workforce.