Women as leaders in cardiovascular medicine

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Medical Specialties
• Gender in Medicine

Background:

• Cardiology is a male-dominated medical specialty.
• Women represent 50% of medical students and over 40% of internal medicine residents.
• The under-representation of women in cardiology persists despite increasing numbers in other medical fields.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the leadership roles and career paths of women in cardiovascular medicine.
• To highlight the increasing visibility of women in cardiology leadership positions.
• To explore the multifactorial reasons for the low number of women cardiology trainees.

Main Methods:

• This is a review article.
• It highlights leadership roles and paths of prominent women in cardiovascular medicine.
• It discusses the current state of women's representation in cardiology.

Main Results:

• Women cardiologists are increasingly visible in leadership roles.
• These roles span research, health systems administration, professional societies, and clinical practice.
• The review identifies various leadership trajectories for women in the field.

Conclusions:

• Despite under-representation in training, women are making significant contributions and achieving leadership positions in cardiology.
• Understanding the career paths of these women can provide insights and mentorship opportunities.
• Further research is needed to address the multifactorial reasons for the low number of women cardiology trainees.