Gender disparity and implicit gender bias amongst doctors in intensive care medicine: A 'disease' we need to recognise and treat.

UK medical schools have trained equal numbers of male and female doctors for almost 20 years. However, within intensive care medicine only 22% of consultants are female. This article uses the classic descriptors of a disease to explain how unconscious gender bias leads to gender disparity. It provides an introduction and summary of the literature explaining how unconscious biases are formed. It then shows how through overvaluing classically male, or agentic traits, intensive care medicine is at high risk of perpetuating gender disparity to the detriment of the whole speciality. Finally, it covers practical options on how to improve bias awareness and gender disparity nationally and locally within intensive care medicine.