The journey of female surgeons in the arab region: A scoping review

• Published in: The surgeon (Edinburgh) 2024-10, Vol.22 (5), p.307-318
• Main Authors: Alansari, Amani N., Alhussaini, Nour W., Elshaikh, Usra, Al-Zoubi, Raed M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arab countries; Arabs; Career Choice; Female; Female surgeons; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Middle East; Physicians, Women; Sexism; Surgeons; Women in surgery; Women surgeons
• ISSN: 1479-666X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.surge.2024.07.009

In the Arab region, there's a dearth of research on female surgeons' experiences and challenges. To address this gap, a scoping review aims to map existing literature. It seeks to understand the hurdles faced by female surgeons in Arab countries and examine any gender biases in public preferences for surgeons. No previous reviews were conducted on female surgeons in the Arab region. By identifying systemic barriers, the review aims to promote inclusivity and support for female surgeons in the Arab medical community. A scoping review was performed and reported using the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. Five databases were searched which include PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and ProQuest. The search strategy included three main strings that are “Women” AND “Surgeons” AND “Arab Country”. A priori-identified spreadsheet was used for data extraction. A total number of 23 studies were included in this review. The findings were categorized under several headings, such as the general public's preferred gender of surgeon and well-being, challenges, and experiences of female surgeons as well as career perspectives, choices, and satisfaction. This scoping review explores experiences and challenges faced by female surgeons in the Arab region, emphasizing the need to address systemic barriers and promote inclusivity. •Gaps in understanding the professional landscape for female surgeons exist.•The study examines hurdles and gender biases faced by female surgeons.•It identifies systemic barriers in career choices and well-being.•The review highlights the need to address barriers and promote inclusivity.