What a Human Rights Complaint by Alberta’s Only Female Cardiovascular Surgeon Says About Sexism in Surgery

In May, Dr. Teresa Kieser, cardiac surgeon at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, filed a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission against her employer, Alberta Health Services. She claims she has faced gender-based discrimination during her thirty-four years in her position. At least one alleged instance led to the suspension of her surgery privileges. Dr. Kieser is not the first female surgeon in the specialty to experience gender inequality in their training or practice setting. This article discusses Dr. Kieser’s complaint and the broader context of sexism in surgery.