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Women in Colon and Rectal Surgery Taskforce Survey

Colorectal surgery is a demanding and rewarding field with unique challenges for all surgeons. This IRB-approved survey seeks to explore the experiences of colorectal surgeons specifically after the completion of training, focusing on topics such as caregiving responsibilities, workplace equity, leave policies, and mentorship opportunities. By reflecting on your post-training experiences, your input will help identify areas for improvement and support the development of more equitable and supportive working environments within the specialty. The survey should take approximately 8 minutes to complete.

Participation in this survey is voluntary and anonymous, and the data will be analyzed and shared in aggregate to ensure confidentiality.
1.Which of the following best describes your gender identity?
2.What year did you complete your colon and rectal surgery residency?
3.On average, how many days per week do you currently work?
4.How many days on average are you on call per month?
5.How do you feel about your current call volume?
6.What would the projected outcome of a reduced schedule be on your work life integration/balance?
1 Significantly Worse
No Change
5 Significantly Improved
N/A
7.What barriers exist for implementing your preferred schedule? (Select all that apply)
8.(Part 1 of 5) What percentage of your patient volume in the past year was dedicated to anorectal/colonoscopy? (Your total for all 5 categories should equal 100%)
0%
50%
100%
9.(Part 2 of 5) What percentage of your patient volume in the past year was dedicated to pelvic floor? (Your total for all categories should equal 100%)
0%
50%
100%
10.(Part 3 of 5) What percentage of your patient volume in the past year was dedicated to benign abdominal disease (diverticular/IBD)? (Your total for all categories should equal 100%)
0%
50%
100%
11.(Part 4 of 5) What percentage of your patient volume in the past year was dedicated to cancer? (Your total for all categories should equal 100%)
0%
50%
100%
12.(Part 5 of 5) What percentage of your patient volume in the past year was dedicated to other? (Your total for all categories should equal 100%)
0%
50%
100%
13.In your current practice, do you perform more of a particular type of surgery than your partners/colleagues?
14.If Yes, what factors influence this focus? (Select all that apply)
15.Do you feel that your compensation is equitable compared to colleagues in colorectal surgery within your region?
16.If you feel your compensation is inequitable, what factors contribute to this? (select all that apply)
17.To what extent have institutional colleagues supported or sponsored your career development
1 Never
2 Rarely
3 Sometimes
4 Often
5 Always
N/A
18.What gender are the colleagues most helpful to you regarding your support and/or sponsorship?
19.Do you feel you have the same opportunities to lead and/or grow in your position as your colleagues?
20.Do you currently have mentorship from senior professionals in your field?
21.Do you currently have sponsorship from senior professionals in your field?
22.Are your current mentors/sponsors the same as your identified gender?
23.If applicable, how well did your institution or department leadership support you or your colleagues during leave?
24.If applicable, was there a leave policy in place?
25.Did your professional relationships change after returning from leave, either in the short term (less than 6 months) or long term (greater than 6 months)?"
26.Has your surgical training and/or practice influenced family planning?
27.What challenges have you encountered related to family planning, parental leave, caregiving responsibilities, or sick leave? (Check all that apply)
28.How frequently have you witnessed preferential treatment given to colleagues based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics in the past year?
1 (Never)
2
3
4
5 (Very frequently)
N/A
29.Have you experienced unwarranted critical assessments unrelated to clinical performance? (e.g., being reported by nursing or OR staff, unfavorable perceptions, being labeled as 'difficult')
30.Have you experienced reputational harm unrelated to clinical performance?
31.If you are willing to participate in follow-up questions to discuss your experiences and perspectives shared in this survey please provide your contact information below.

Note: Your responses will remain confidential, and participation in follow-up is entirely voluntary.
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