OBJECTIVE: Historically, women have been underrepresented in medicine but nowadays the underrepresentation is more applicable to surgical disciplines. Many efforts have been made to decrease the... Show moreOBJECTIVE: Historically, women have been underrepresented in medicine but nowadays the underrepresentation is more applicable to surgical disciplines. Many efforts have been made to decrease the attrition rate of women in neurosurgery and to even career opportunities to be comparable to those of male colleagues. However, it is unclear if gender disparities occur between female and male neurosurgeons. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to identify gender differences in the professional and private life of neurosurgeons.METHODS: A survey consisting of 38 questions was sent to members of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons regarding demographics, career fulfillment, private life, and parenting. Comparison between female and male respondents was made.RESULTS: A total of 870 members filled in surveys, which were analyzed. Working full time, days worked weekly, and gross salary did not differ between male and female neurosurgeons. However, female neurosurgeons rated their career fulfillment worse than did male neurosurgeons (P < 0.001) and were less likely to choose a career as a neurosurgeon again (P < 0.001). Furthermore, female neurosurgeons were less likely to be married or to have children than were male colleagues (P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS: Despite efforts to increase the amount of women enrolling into neurosurgery and despite efforts to strive for equality, the results of the current study show gender disparities in professional and private careers among neurosurgeons. Practice patterns did not differ between male and female neurosurgeons, but perceptions of career and characteristics of private life did. Program directors and chairs should focus on measures to decrease gender differences and to strive for equal career satisfaction among female and male neurosurgeons. Show less
During this research project we studied circulating cells in the blood of people with cardiovascular disease, we investigated if these cells could be used as biomarkers for future cardiovascular... Show moreDuring this research project we studied circulating cells in the blood of people with cardiovascular disease, we investigated if these cells could be used as biomarkers for future cardiovascular incidents. We specifically looked at circulating immune cells such as monocytes, T cells and neutrophils. It was shown that both specific subsets of monocytes as well as neutrophils could be used to predict cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease. Surprisingly it was shown that different cell subsets were predictive for cardiovascular events in men and women. Investigating the difference between men and women further we show that the acute immune response in during cardiovascular disease is different between men and women. While the response in males was skewed towards a monocyte response, in women the acute response was skewed towards a T cell response. The research presented in this thesis shows that our knowledge of the gender specific immune response in cardiovascular disease is limited and further research is necessary. Show less
This thesis attempted to contribute to the quest of practitioners and researchers to find guidelines on how to establish a healthy motivational orientation in the classroom. This is not an easy... Show moreThis thesis attempted to contribute to the quest of practitioners and researchers to find guidelines on how to establish a healthy motivational orientation in the classroom. This is not an easy objective. There are many theories and concepts regarding motivation. We provided an overview in Chapter 2 of 36 motivation theories to gain more insight into what motivation is and how it works in the classroom. In Chapter 3 we highlighted motivation constructs derived from different motivation perspectives that can predict classroom performance together. Further, we presented the effects of a motivational intervention on intrinsic motivation, persistence, self-regulatory skills and performance (Chapter 4); we distinguished between the effects for boys and girls (Chapter 5); and investigated the applicability of self-determination theory across situations (Chapter 6). This chapter will start by presenting and elaborating on our results. We use the metaphor of the motivation cake that was introduced in the first chapter of this thesis to illustrate our conclusions. Subsequently, we discuss study limitations and present our suggestions for future research as well as the theoretical and practical implications of the present thesis. Show less
