In this powerful and eye-opening episode of Healthy Careers, host Maddie Traylor sits down with Kim Marden, CEO of Watauga Orthopaedics, to confront one of healthcare’s most persistent leadership challenges: the gender wage gap.With decades of experience leading in private orthopedic practice, Kim shares her path from healthcare management into the C-suite, and the barriers she’s broken along the way. This candid conversation dives into the realities of compensation inequity among healthcare executives, especially female CEOs, and how data-driven advocacy—not emotional appeals—is key to driving change.Whether you’re a female leader, emerging executive, or someone committed to creating a fairer healthcare workplace, this episode delivers actionable strategies to elevate equity, transparency, and courage in boardrooms and beyond.Key Takeaways:What it’s really like to be a female CEO in orthopedicsWhy the wage gap still exists in 2025—and how to challenge itHow to use data and benchmarking to advocate for equal payThe role of self-worth, preparation, and timing in salary conversationsCultural, institutional, and structural blockers for women in healthcare leadershipCreating sustainable change in compensation policies within medical organizationsMentorship, sponsorship, and bold leadership as tools for transformationEpisode Highlights:00:35 Meet Kim Marden: Breaking Barriers in Orthopedics02:15 From Management to CEO: Kim’s Journey03:14 The Realities of Running a Private Practice04:16 CEO Leadership: Challenges & Rewards07:29 The Wage Gap in Orthopedic Leadership15:04 Why Data, Not Emotion, Changes Pay Conversations31:22 Advice for Women in Healthcare: Know Your Worth33:58 Final Reflections and What’s Next for Equity in HealthcareKeywords:Gender pay gap in healthcare,Women CEOs in orthopedics,Executive compensation equity,Orthopedic private practice leadership,Healthcare pay transparency,Equal pay advocacy in medicine,Women in medical leadership,Female healthcare executives podcast,Data-driven salary negotiation,HR and DEI in orthopedic care,Healthcare recruiter podcast,Healthcare recruiting agency,Flat fee healthcare recruiter,Nurse practitioner and physician assistant recruiter,Surgeon and orthopedic staffing agency,Medical office and billing staff recruitment,Connect with Kim Marden:LinkedIn: Kim MardenVisit Watauga Orthopaedics

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