Trans-Atlantic analysis of gender representation in general thoracic surgery: Challenges permeate the academic...

The underrepresentation of women in thoracic surgery has been well described worldwide. Women can serve as role models for trainees and advance their careers through academic appointments, leadership positions, and involvement in thoracic societies. We aimed to characterize differences between representation of women in thoracic surgery in the United States and Europe.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using publicly available data for hospitals with 30 general thoracic-track training programs in the United States and Europe from December 2023 to May 2024. Membership data for national/international societies were obtained directly from respective organizations.

Among 30 US institutions with dedicated general thoracic surgery training tracks, women comprised 17.7% (102 out of 475) of faculty, compared with those of 30 general thoracic surgery centers in 8 European countries, where women comprised 29.5% (79 out of 268) of faculty. Of programs with available data, 26.7% (8 out of 30) had women as thoracic surgery program directors in the United States and 13% (4 out of 30) in Europe. Regarding societal membership in the General Thoracic Surgical Club (United States) and European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (Europe), women were well represented as trainee members (United States, 39.2% [20 out of 51] vs Europe, 46.1% [113 out of 245]; P = .367), but comprised a lower proportion of active/senior members (United States, 12.9% [45 out of 349] vs Europe, 19.2% [283 out of 1474]; P = .006).

We identified universal disparities in the representation of women in faculty appointments, leadership positions, and membership in professional societies. Efforts to address imbalances may benefit from shared experiences and initiatives, aiding resident recruitment and career advancement for women thoracic surgeons while fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion on a global scale.