Women Underrepresented in Plastic Surgery

Although women have comprised nearly half of U.S. medical school graduates over the past decade, they still may remain underrepresented among surgical residents and surgeons, reports a study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open®, an open access, peer reviewed, international journal focusing on global plastic and reconstructive surgery of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Though this study could not determine the reasons for these differences, possible explanations may include the perception of surgical culture and its impact on lifestyle.

The study's authors reviewed data published by the American Medical Association and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education from 2000 to 2013 and abstracted the number of surgeons and surgical residents by sex, race/ethnicity and specialty. The researchers compared the ratio of female-to-male surgeons and residents, as well as the racial and ethnic composition of female surgeons between specialties to evaluate for potential differences. They also found the proportion of Asian female surgeons has increased across all specialties.

"We conducted the current study to assess recent trends of women trainees and physicians pursuing careers in plastic and reconstructive surgery to determine differences between this field and other surgical specialties," Carisa Cooney, MPH, Rachael M. Payne, BS, Charalampos Siotos, MD, Michele Manahan, MD, and Gedge Rosson, MD, write. "While females outnumber males in one surgical specialty (obstetrics and gynecology), the female-to-male ratio in neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, and thoracic surgery is 1:10 or higher."

The study's findings showed the proportion of female surgeons among all female physicians has remained constant at 12-13% from 2000 to 2013, and the ratio of female-to-male surgeons and residents has increased over time in all surgical specialties. This discrepancy is lower among resident physicians. Currently, the female-to-male ratio of practicing surgeons in plastic surgery is approximately 1:5 with a smaller discrepancy among plastic surgery residents.

Even though the gender gap is narrowing, this study reveals that women are still underrepresented in most specialties, including plastic surgery. Evidence suggests this discrepancy appears to be less pronounced among practicing plastic surgeons and trainees. The study's co-authors state additional studies are needed to determine reasons for increased participation of women of all ethnicities in the various surgical specialties to ensure a diverse future workforce.

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery—Global Open® is published by Wolters Kluwer.