Relationship of Geographic Mobility and Institutional Prestige to Career Advancement of Women in Academic Medicine

• In Event: Recruiting and Advancement of Underrepresented Groups in the Professions

Abstract

This study explored the relationship of geographic mobility and institutional prestige to career advancement (administrative promotions) of women seeking mid- to executive-level positions in academic medicine. Both factors have been positively related to career advancement in higher education, but not investigated in academic medicine where women are disproportionately underrepresented in the higher ranks (full professor to dean). This quantitative study explored these two potential barriers to recruiting, hiring, and promoting women, using an existing dataset from the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® Program for Women (380 participants who completed this leadership development program, 1996-2005) and descriptive and associational statistics. Geographic mobility was found to be advantageous to career advancement for the small proportion (24%) of movers, while institutional prestige was not.

Authors

• Marsha R. McLean, Fayetteville State University

• Sharon Anderson Dannels, The George Washington University

• Sharon A. McDade, American Council on Education