Women in surgery: Perspectives from Nordic welfare states

Surgery has long been shaped by gender imbalance, but the Nordic countries-Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden-illustrate how societal structures can support women's participation in demanding medical careers. Policies promoting gender equality, including tuition-free education, publicly funded childcare, and generous parental leave shared between parents, have reduced structural barriers to surgical training and practice. Cultural expectations that men participate actively in family and domestic responsibilities further support balanced professional and personal roles. Most medical students are now women, as are a substantial proportion of surgical trainees across the region. Female role models are increasingly visible in clinical and academic settings. Nevertheless, women remain underrepresented in the most senior surgical leadership positions, and differences persist in subspecialty distribution.