Women in leadership positions within obstetrics and gynecology: does the past explain the present?

To determine whether the proportion of leadership positions in obstetrics and gynecology held by women is consistent with expectations based on the proportion of women entering residency at the time of current leaders.

Leadership positions were considered as department chairs affiliated with the Council of University Chairs of Obstetrics and Gynecology, editors of the 20 obstetrics and gynecology journals with the highest impact factors [corrected],and presidents of influential professional societies. Publically available data were accessed to determine sex and the year of medical school graduation for each individual holding each leadership position, as well as to determine the number of men and women entering residency in obstetrics and gynecology per year. Actual and expected proportions of leadership positions held by women were compared using χ² tests.

Women should hold 71 of the total 194 leadership positions based on the proportion of women entering residency during the mean graduation year among leaders. Women actually hold 41 of these leadership positions (21.1%; P<.001). Considering only leaders who graduated during the years in which residency matching data were available, women should hold 28 of these 74 leadership positions. Women actually hold 20 of the leadership positions from this subset (27.0%; P=.05).

Women are underrepresented in leadership positions in obstetrics and gynecology, and this cannot be explained by historical sex imbalances among physicians entering our specialty.