[The issue of diversity in Dutch University Medical Centers: a role for professionals in leadership position].

The last years the share of female full professors in Dutch university medical centers (UMC's) has increased. Yet, there is still a long way to go for equal numbers compared to men and diversity is very much forgotten in this discussion. Sponsorship, which is defined in the business community as the act of supporting, encouraging and protecting a person by a professional in a leadership position, may be effective for increasing diversity in academic hospitals. However, there is little known on how sponsorship should be defined in academia. Qualitative in-depth interviews with the underrepresented groups (e.g., females, people with an immigrant background, more introvert males) may lead to sculpting or defining academic sponsorship in order to create diverse leadership in the UMC's.