Differences in leadership ambition of women and men in their early academic career in cardiovascular research in the Netherlands

In the field of cardiology and cardiovascular research, the underrepresentation of female leaders persists despite efforts to promote equality. As this phenomenon could have various reasons, we investigated the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on the representation of women in leadership roles. In this pilot study, we explored the motivation of Dutch cardiovascular PhD candidates for pursuing leadership positions through a survey. Among 143 respondents (97 female, 46 male), family planning did not seem to impact leadership ambitions as much as the desire to work part-time in the future. Of the participating women, 12% stated that a female quota would encourage them to pursue a leadership position. Interestingly, communal traits, which are typically associated with femininity, were perceived as hampering towards leadership by women but not by men. Our results show that gender stereotypes continue to influence cardiology careers, and that initiatives aimed at overall cultural change may be more supportive for future female leaders than single policy measures.