Brian Nguyen

and 3 more

Background: Gender biases among patients and medical students regarding the participation of men in obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn) may affect career decisions and pathways. This systematic review collects female patients’ gender preferences and perceptions of men, as Ob/Gyns and/or medical students, examining their influence on medical education and subsequent career decisions. Search Strategy: We identified relevant research via PubMed using variations of three concepts in combination: Ob/Gyn care, gender bias or gender preference, and medical education or career. We conducted the initial review in 2018 and repeated the search after initial analysis in March 2021, restricting the review to original research from the United States between 2000-2021. Results: Fifteen studies met inclusion, categorized into three groups: (1) patient’s gender preference for Ob/Gyns, (2) gender preference for medical students during their Ob/Gyn clerkship, (3) influence of gender bias on Ob/Gyn career decisions. Patients prioritized their physician’s care attributes (e.g., technical skill, compassion, experience) over gender when choosing an Ob/Gyn; however, provider gender was prioritized with medical student care. Accordingly, male medical students more commonly reported exclusions from clinical opportunities, though objective clinical exposure was like that of female counterparts. Despite perceived gender bias, male medical students reported increased Ob/Gyn interest post- clerkship; however, interest did not translate into more residency applications. These findings are limited by the quality and heterogeneity of studies. Conclusions: The combination of real and perceived gender bias among female patients and male medical students in obstetrics and gynecology may underlie declining numbers of men entering the field.