Gender Disparities Among General Surgeons: A Comprehensive Review

• Literature on gender disparity among surgeons has progressed tremendously in the past 5 years • Gender disparity among surgeons is still widespread • Efforts are being made to improve gender disparity in surgery, but further improvement is needed Introduction: Gender disparity among surgeons is a well-documented issue. While previous reviews have explored this topic broadly across surgical fields, few have focused specifically on general surgery. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in publications addressing gender disparities within general surgery, highlighting the need for an updated review. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a systematic review and comprehensive summary of studies published in the last five years examining gender disparities in general surgery. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using Scopus, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane databases to identify relevant literature published between 2019 and 2024. Only studies focused on general surgery were included; those addressing other surgical specialties were excluded. Included studies were reviewed by the authors and organized into thematic categories for analysis. Results: A total of 105 articles were eligible for inclusion. Articles were categorized into (1) disparity in representation (n=25), (2) disparity in training and evaluation (n=14), (3) discrimination and harassment (n=10), (4) disparity in research (n=20), (5) career issues, including academic promotion, awards and representation in national organizations (n=18), (6) disparity in leadership (n=12), (7) pay disparity (n=6), (8) interventions (n=7). Conclusions: There has been substantial growth in the body of literature examining gender disparities in general surgery over the past five years. The most frequently studied areas include representation and research, while fewer studies have addressed pay disparity and effective interventions. Continued efforts are needed to better understand these gaps and to inform strategies aimed at promoting equity within the field.