Urgent action may be needed in implementing creative, multipronged approaches to address the real and perceived barriers to women's full participation in cardiology, according to a paper published Sept. 30 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Garima Sharma, MD, FACC, et al., provide a list of recommendations to promote inclusivity and improve the professional lives of men and women in cardiology. They note that demographic trends predict reduced access to talent and possibly a severe cardiovascular workforce shortage if women are not fully engaged. Therefore, the authors explain that it is important to create an environment that provides equitable advancement opportunities and prevents attrition of all highly-skilled cardiologists to benefit both programs and patients.

Among the recommendations, the authors advise employers, institutions and practices to create inclusive cultures supported by equitable policies and compensation. They also advise professional societies and volunteer science organizations to adopt diversity and inclusion principles that strategically promote and celebrate female leaders in cardiology.

Other recommendations include developing mentoring resources led by both men and women faculty, aligning cardiology culture with internal medicine trainees' preferences regarding work-life balance and career flexibility, ensuring equity across the publishing pipeline in scientific journals by encouraging women to submit, and more.

The authors add that everyone must work together towards changing institutional norms and biases in cardiology, and create a culture where cardiologists feel personally responsible for this change.

"Achievement of these goals will require awareness, education, leadership, action, accountability and, perhaps most of all, courage and commitment," the authors conclude. "The continued excellence of our profession is at stake."

Keywords: Female, Leadership, Work-Life Balance, Goals, Mentors, Internal Medicine, Perception, Social Responsibility

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