WATCH: Women in Surgery Highlights Meaningful Culture Change in General Surgery Residency Program

In the latest episode of Houston Methodist's Women in Surgery series, Dr. Shlomit Schaal, chief physician executive, sits down with Dr. Patrick Reardon, chief of Foregut & Minimally Invasive Surgery at Houston Methodist, and third year surgical resident Dr. Connie Au to discuss the evolving landscape of surgical residency for women and the importance of mentorship in advancing gender equity.

Dr. Au shares her perspective on balancing the intense demands of residency with personal wellbeing.

"It's a challenge to adjust to the hectic schedule of being a surgical resident, no matter what your gender: the 4 a.m. wake-up call, the long hours, stress, seeing 15 to 20 patients daily before surgical rounds," Dr. Au says. "But, nowadays, I think it's less about floor work and more about surgical training exposure than it used to be, so that's nice."

The episode highlights the significant strides Houston Methodist has made in recent years in attracting more female surgeons, with women now representing half of the hospital's more than 30 General Surgery residents.

Dr. Reardon, who trained under legendary surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey, acknowledged the barriers women faced in previous decades.

"It was a man's world back then," he said, recalling the challenges female surgeons encountered in earning the same respect and authority granted their male colleagues.

Both Dr. Reardon and Dr. Au cite the importance of representation and supportive policies, such as maternity and paternity leave, in making surgical careers more accessible and inclusive. However, Dr. Au note that balancing residency with family responsibilities remains a challenge, sometimes requiring women to take research years and extend their training periods.

As an advocate for gender equity, Dr. Reardon emphasizes the importance of platforms like the annual Women in Surgery career symposium, an event that provides mentorship and networking opportunities, financial and career advice and a chance to learn from successful female surgeons at all levels of their careers.

"As a middle-aged Caucasian male who came up during the '70s and '80s, I don't have any first-hand experience with the unique struggles of what it's like being a woman in this field, but I can make it a priority to send some of our talented female residents, like Connie, to events like this every year to hopefully learn from those who have navigated these waters and thrived," Dr. Reardon says.

Dr. Schaal closes the engaging discussion by reflecting on the importance of driving systemic change. "It's not just about supporting excellent women physicians but creating a culture of allies among our male colleagues as well," she says.

The full episode is available to watch now by clicking on the image above.