This qualitative study explores how intersectional institutional inequalities influence academic female physicians’ career persistence and perseverance. In the context of India’s state policy of “Nari Shakti” – woman power – it draws on 30 in-depth interviews with female and male physicians. We offer a nuanced understanding of inequalities based on gender, childbearing age, marital status, motherhood and perceived lack of physical strength northern in India. These influences shape female physicians’ personal ambitions for career advancement in a country with dismal female workforce participation rates and national ambitions to become an economic superpower. More female than male students now enrol in medical schools but female physicians are significantly under-represented in leadership positions in a patriarchal society. They sacrifice sleep, personal well-being and leadership opportunities to fulfil their family and caregiving roles in the “greedy” field of academic medicine. This results in socio-cognitive career strain as female physicians’ specialisms, inclusion, geographical mobility and career opportunities are constrained despite nation building ideology for empowering women. Our findings emphasize the need for conscious raising and regulatory enforcement linked to UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, accreditations and funding. This is imperative to change societal and familial mindsets by translating Nari Shakti policy into everyday realities. This study contributes to understanding gender dynamics in India by illustrating how central state policies, patriarchal society and institutions shape female physicians’ career persistence and perseverance. We call for evidence-based and inclusive feminist medical leadership development to realise employee and national well-being by reducing gender and other forms of workplace and household discrimination.
