Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Rechtsmedizin, cilt.36, sa.1, ss.34-41, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Background and objective: Gender discrimination hinders women’s career advancement. As in science, technology and mathematics, women in forensic sciences are underrepresented in high-ranking positions. This study aims to gather data on the demographic characteristics, academic goals, job satisfaction, career progression and work-life balance of female forensic medicine specialists and residents in Turkey and reveal their attitudes and experiences regarding gender discrimination. Material and methods: The study population comprised female forensic medicine specialists and residents in Turkey. An email invitation was sent to 109 female members of the Turkish Association of Forensic Medicine Specialists. A total of 85 participants (78%) completed the online survey. The questionnaire consisted of 40 items, including 13 demographic questions and 27 items assessing views and experiences on gender discrimination. Results and conclusion: A total of 43.5% of participants reported experiencing gender discrimination in their professional lives. Those who reported such experiences indicated that being a woman negatively impacted their careers, men were preferred, held more influential roles and were taken more seriously (p < 0.001). In the field of forensic medicine, which is closely related to justice and gender equality, women face challenges related to gender discrimination. This is the first study to analyze the career development and work-life balance of female forensic medicine physicians in Turkey and is expected to guide further research both nationally and internationally.