ESTRO 2025 - Abstract Book

S2188

Interdisciplinary – Education in radiation oncology

ESTRO 2025

Purpose/Objective: Despite the increasing percentage of female faculty members in recent years, significant gender disparities persist. According to a 2017 report, only 27.7% of radiation oncology faculty were women 1 . Leadership positions in medical specialty societies and editorial boards continue to show low female representation, with notable disparities in funding and career advancement. This report aims to identify barriers that hinder women’s careers in radiotherapy and oncological research and evaluates strategies to address these issues. Material/Methods: A systematic review of published articles was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The review focused on studies from the past decade that addressed gender equity and academic careers in radiotherapy and oncology. Data on gender disparities in academic and leadership roles were collected and analyzed, highlighting recurring patterns and underlying causes. Results: The underrepresentation of women in the medical research and academic environments is multifactorial. Three main categories of barriers were identified as follows: Cultural barriers : Evidence shows that women, despite being equally qualified as men, face more challenges in the race to leadership positions and often need to achieve more than their male counterparts to gain similar recognition. Within radiation oncology, over 50% of surveyed residents perceived gender-specific bias in their programs and felt that a lack of mentorship opportunities further limited their career ambitions 2 . Structural barriers : Disparities in research funding are another critical obstacle. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) analysis of grant allocations from 2006 to 2017 revealed significant gender differences in the size of grants awarded to first-time female and male principal investigators, even at leading research institutions 3 . Personal barriers : Many women do not align with the traditional model of professional success, which has been shaped by male-centric norms. Female professionals often prioritize ethics, flexibility, and collaboration as key factors for success but struggle to have these values acknowledged and rewarded in male-dominated environments 4 . Strategies to bridge these gaps include mentoring programs such as the ESMO Women for Oncology (W4O) initiative, work-life balance incentives, and promoting transparency in recruitment and promotion processes. Despite their potential, practical implementation of these strategies remains limited and hard to achieve. Conclusion: Improving women’s representation in research and leadership positions in radiotherapy and oncology requires a multimodal approach. This include ensuring transparency in funding decisions, fostering inclusive mentorship programs, and elevating female role models within the field. By addressing these issues, the field can move closer to achieving gender equity. References: 1.Ahmed AA et al. Female Representation in the Academic Oncology Physician Workforce: Radiation Oncology Losing Ground to Hematology Oncology. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2017;98(1):31 33.doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2017.01.240 2.Osborn VW et al. A Survey Study of Female Radiation Oncology Residents' Experiences to Inform Change. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2019;104(5):999-1008.doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.05.013 3.Oliveira DFM et al. Comparison of National Institutes of Health Grant Amounts to First-Time Male and Female Principal Investigators. JAMA. 2019;321(9):898-900.doi:10.1001/jama.2018.21944 4.Faivre-Finn C. Gender equality and leadership in radiation oncology research:a plea to women to come forward. Br J Radiol. 2023;96(1151):20230167. Keywords: gender equity, women representation, research