Michelle Sheng, MD, on strategies to improve female representation in urology

In this video, Michelle S. Sheng, MD, highlights 3 key strategies to improve recruitment and retention of women in urology. Sheng is an assistant professor of urology and the vice chair of DEI at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.

Video Transcript:

There are a lot of barriers from the personal and also systemic level that we have to address and target. I think some high yield interventions or strategies would be ensuring that there is adequate mentorship for females who are interested in urology. Gender concordance and mentorship can be important, but I think if we bring our male colleagues up to speed—and our male colleagues here in Emory are very involved and active in mentorship for male and female residents—but improving that mentorship, I think, is one of the biggest keys. Not only with entering the field, but remaining in this field and helping to progress with the career over the course of time.

In terms of other ways to help to recruit and retain female residents, and especially female urologists in the work force, is ensuring that policies are in place to protect work-life balance, maternity leave—things that can disproportionately affect females at work and outside of work. I think ensuring that women are elevated to leadership positions that they are deserving of and have earned is really important, because having women on leadership boards and panels helps to drive forward the policy changes. It helps to drive forward advances in patient care. It helps to drive forward advancement in this field for all parties involved. I think promoting women in leadership positions, promoting mentorship for women applicants and women already in this field, and working on policy changes are the top 3.

This transcript was AI generated and edited by human editors for clarity.