Letter in response to: Sex differences as a catalyst for the next step in surgeon personality research

Dear Dr Sier and colleagues,

Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful letter in response to our article, “Swedish female and male general surgeons differ in personality traits,” published in Scandinavian Journal of Surgery. ¹

We greatly appreciate your focus on conscientiousness and its sub-aspects. Although our study found that Swedish female surgeons scored higher in four out of five personality traits, we did not explore the individual sub-aspects in depth. As you highlight, investigating the sub-aspects of conscientiousness—industriousness and orderliness—could provide valuable insights into the gender differences, especially in relation to surgical demands. Your suggestion that female surgeons may exhibit greater industriousness is intriguing and warrants further exploration.

The future research questions you propose are highly relevant and inspiring. Prior studies suggest gender differences in clinical outcomes, such as improved intraoperative results for female surgeons, possibly linked to variations in decision-making and team dynamics in the operating room. ² Exploring how specific personality traits influences success in surgery and clinical decision-making remains a crucial area for future research.

While our study does not provide definitive answers, we appreciate your perspective of our study as a starting point and a catalyst for further research into personality in medicine. A deeper understanding of surgeons’ and physicians’ personalities is vital for improving education, training, and team dynamics, all of which are essential for enhancing surgical safety and patient outcomes.