Gendered Innovations in Orthopaedic Science: Title IX Education: Book Learnin’ and Bone Mendin’

Excerpt

The heft of the hammer; the thrill of the drill — for many of us, hands-on experience opened the window to a career in orthopaedic surgery, and the opportunity for scientific investigation beyond the walls of the operating room. Yet, today’s medical students rarely have the educational opportunity to explore and experience orthopaedic surgery unless they have had an early, outside introduction. This “too little, too late” concept is at the heart of a playing field with little diversity. Lack of exposure at school, along with cultural mores and prepackaged notions of orthopaedic jock-docs, inhibit many from ever entering the operating room other than a required click through general surgery [1]. That 70% of medical schools do not require a musculoskeletal clinical clerkship only undermines this opportunity [8]. …