Navigating barriers: The journey of women surgeons in Türkiye Across decades

Women's participation in surgery has grown steadily worldwide, yet systemic inequities persist. This perspective traces the historical roots, current realities, and future directions for women surgeons in Türkiye, a country where women have long been well represented in medical schools but remain underrepresented in surgical specialties and leadership. Pioneers such as Safiye Ali (the first woman physician of the Republic) and Suat Rasim Giz (the first woman general surgeon) paved the way, yet cultural perceptions framed surgery as a male domain. Sociological evidence confirms a persistent gendered division: women cluster in specialties with predictable schedules, whereas prestige-intensive surgical fields remain male dominated. A landmark thesis by Genç Kuzuca (2007) documented women's underrepresentation in 12 of 28 specialties; more recent surveys echo these findings, highlighting barriers, such as mobbing, verbal harassment, bias in operative exposure, and unequal promotion pathways. In 2017, nearly half of women surgeons reported mobbing, two-thirds felt compelled to adopt harsh language, and 75% believed they had to work harder than men to prove competence. By 2025, progress is evident: more women enter surgical residencies, mentorship networks emerge, and leaders such as Profs Yeşim Erbil and Seher Demirer attain visibility. Yet gaps remain in leadership, equitable operative exposure, and family supportive policies. Looking ahead to 2035, sustained change depends on institutional reforms: mentorship and sponsorship, gender-sensitive parental leave, protected time for lactation and childcare, and strict enforcement against harassment. Türkiye's experience not only mirrors global struggles for gender equity in surgery but also offers lessons. By celebrating pioneers, quantifying barriers, and pursuing systemic change, Türkiye can model progress for global surgery.