Gender disparities persist among medical subspecialty societies, including the American
Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH). Surgical subspecialties in particular have
lagged behind other medical specialties with respect to the number of women in training
and practice. Orthopedic surgery, one of the surgical subspecialties making up hand
surgery, has the lowest percentage of female residents and faculty among medical subspecialties.
Institutions such as the ASSH have an important role in narrowing these gaps by creating
environments that welcome female engagement by recognizing and promoting female surgeons
into leadership positions. By summarizing demographic data, prior literature, and
drawing from examples in other specialties, this article has 3 aims: (1) to review
trends in female engagement in the ASSH; (2) outline the strategies that have been
implemented to improve gender diversity within the ASSH; and (3) recommend feasible
methods to address historical and ongoing barriers to promotion of women within the
ASSH.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 15, 2022
Accepted:
March 29,
2022
Received:
May 13,
2021
Footnotes
No benefits in any form have been received or will be received related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. All rights reserved.
