Female surgeons say explicit bias is rare, but subtler obstacles persist

The operating room, once an exclusive club for male surgeons, is becoming more welcoming to female surgeons. But the experiences of local doctors suggest that full gender equality has not yet arrived. The explicit gender discrimination alleged in a high-profile lawsuit settled for $7 million this month against Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and its former chief of surgery is rare in Boston hospitals, according to 10 female surgeons interviewed by the Globe. Still, female surgeons can experience subtler obstacles, including pressure to behave a certain way and conflicting family responsibilities.