Using Diverse Role Models to Combat Gender Stereotypes in the Health Science Fields

What do children want to be when they grow up? If they are driven to explore and experiment, curious about how our bodies work or motivated by opportunities to help people, they might find a fulfilling future in health science.

While some children become more deeply interested in STEM concepts and careers over time, others lose interest due to issues like a lack of access to STEM learning opportunities, a lack of representation in STEM careers and harmful stereotypes that can lead kids to believe they don’t belong in STEM. So, how can we boost children’s confidence in pursuing a future in health science?

One important way to encourage kids is to ensure they have access to role models who can show them what’s possible – and your support for National Inventors Hall of Fame^® education programs does just that.

Understanding the Need for Diversity in Healthcare

Everyone benefits when children of all genders, backgrounds, identities and communities pursue a future in health science. For instance, many studies have shown that “concordant care, defined as a patient and clinician sharing a common attribute such as race, ethnicity, or gender, has been associated with improved quality of care.” In other words, greater diversity among healthcare workers leads to better quality healthcare for patients.

Though health science fields are slowly becoming more diverse, there remain significant gaps, including longstanding gender imbalances in healthcare careers. Reasons for this are varied, but one major contributor is the misguided belief that there exist “gender specific” jobs. For example, many men consider nursing a profession meant primarily for women. Because of this, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023 men held less than 12% of the country’s registered nursing jobs.

NurseJournal notes that “the percentage of nurses who identify as men has increased over the last 20 years,” but “nursing still has a long way to go to overcome the stigma labeling nursing as ‘women’s work.’” Such stereotyping and biased thinking can prevent young people from considering certain career paths and opportunities, limiting their ambitions and perpetuating gender gaps.

When it comes to leadership positions in healthcare, the levels of gender diversity are not much better. In 2022, the International Hospital Federation reported, “It is estimated that women hold only around 25% of leadership roles in health globally” and “fewer than 5% of chief executive officers of Fortune 500 health care companies are female.” This lack of perspective at the highest levels of healthcare leadership is not just unfortunate – it’s dangerous, leading to health policy decisions that disproportionately harm women, as well as persistent disparities in health outcomes by gender and race.

Helping Children Identify Innovative Role Models

The earlier children are introduced to diverse STEM role models, the more likely they will understand that STEM careers are for everyone.

Research published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology supports this, and found that early exposure to “counterstereotypical” role models at a young age represents a promising way to combat the effects of gender stereotyping. This same research also found that the most effective role models are ones a child can relate to, increasing the likelihood a child will view the individual’s career as something they too could pursue.

National Inventors Hall of Fame education programs are built with this in mind. Each program experience is directly inspired by Hall of Fame Inductees and infused with lessons based on their diverse stories and inventions. Children who participate in these programs, including Camp Invention^® and Invention Project^®, are introduced to real-world inventors who represent an array of fields, experiences, identities and backgrounds.

When children find role models who look, sound or learn like them, they see their own potential and build confidence to pursue their interests. Additionally, as children are also introduced to role models who are different from them, they learn to respect diverse perspectives and contributions, building an understanding that everyone has good ideas and can accomplish amazing things.

Who are the health science role models children might identify when they join National Inventors Hall of Fame education programs? They are heroes like Inductee Dr. Patricia Bath, the inventor of laserphaco cataract surgery, the first Black woman physician to receive a medical patent and the founder of the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness.

Gamechangers like Inductee Julio C. Palmaz, who revolutionized cardiac care with the first commercially successful intravascular stent. Visionaries like Inductee Angela Hartley Brodie, who advanced breast cancer treatment by developing aromatase inhibitors – and many more creators and innovators who have saved lives and made us healthier.

Making a Difference Through Donations

At the National Inventors Hall of Fame, our nonprofit’s mission to recognize inventors, promote creativity, and advance the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship is made possible by our partners, sponsors and donors.

This summer, Sara Blakely, the inventor and founder of Spanx, is giving full scholarships to send 1,000 girls across the country to Camp Invention. “Women have so many gifts to bring into the world… imagine if their full potential could be realized,” Blakely said. “I'm so excited to partner with the National Inventors Hall of Fame to send young girls to Camp Invention this summer so they too can have the confidence to dream up ideas and solve problems for the world."

The girls who will attend Camp Invention thanks to Blakely’s generous gift might just become the next doctors, health science innovators or STEM problem solvers to advance our health and well-being. Most importantly, they’ll learn they can achieve any goal they choose to pursue.

Join us in making sure more children in communities nationwide have access to transformative opportunities to find relatable role models, realize their potential and reach for their dreams. Learn more about how you can support this mission at invent.org.