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Gender, Obstacles, and Perspectives in the Career of Plastic Surgeons in Italy: a Survey-Based Analysis
Mariachiara Fabbri1, Chiara Botti2, Giovanni Botti2
1Plastic Surgery Resident, Residency Program in Plastic Surgery, Università Cattolica del "Sacro Cuore", Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy. mariachiara.fabbri01@icatt.it.
Background:
The Italian plastic surgery workforce is undergoing a demographic shift, with a growing proportion of women entering the field. Despite this, little is known about gender-specific challenges such as work-life balance, discrimination, and career progression. This study aimed to compare the professional experiences of male and female Italian plastic surgeons.
Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of Italian board-certified plastic surgeons and residents. The questionnaire addressed demographics, work-life balance, training opportunities, burnout, and professional challenges using multiple-choice, Likert-type items, and open-ended responses. Data were analyzed descriptively and stratified by gender and age.
Results:
A total of 430 surgeons responded (22.6% women, 77.4% men). Women were most represented in the 30-39 age group, while men predominated in the 40-49 group. Gender-based disparities emerged: 62.7% of women with children reported career-related delays in childbearing (vs. 32.7% of men), and 61.3% reported difficulties reconciling work and family life (vs. 44.1% of men). Nearly all respondents who felt excluded from career dynamics (96.7%) or experienced sexist comments (83.3%) were women. Universal stressors included burnout (64.7%), fiscal issues (59.4%), aggressive competition (63.8%), and medico-legal risks (82.5%). Young surgeons identified insufficient exposure to aesthetic surgery and limited first-operator cases as key training gaps.
Conclusions:
Although women are increasingly represented in Italian plastic surgery, they continue to face substantial barriers in work-life balance and career advancement. Shared systemic issues, burnout, fiscal pressures, and medico-legal risks, further burden all surgeons. Targeted action by professional bodies is essential to promote equity, improve training, and strengthen professional support.
Level Of Evidence Iv:
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
