Beyond the Operating Room: The Reality of Gender Disparities in Neurosurgical Education Starting in Medical School

Objective

Despite the growing number of female medical students, there remains a significant disparity between the number of female and male neurosurgeons. This study aims to determine if this trend is also evident among medical students, examine how various medical schools worldwide are addressing this issue, and propose potential solutions.

Methods

The data includes anonymous baseline information from congress registrations, the abstract submission system, and 2 surveys designed to assess student experiences before and after the congress. The questionnaires covered socioeconomic background, prior congress experience, knowledge assessment, career aspirations, and perceptions of neurosurgery, using various Likert scales. Data analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism.

Results

A total of 171 individuals attended the congress, including 90 women (52.6%). Precongress and postcongress surveys were completed by 27 participants (48.2% female, 51.9% male). Women submitted more abstracts (59.0%) and achieved higher presentation rankings. Both groups rated their interest in pursuing a career in neurosurgery at 5 out of 6. However, women rated the likelihood of achieving a work-life balance in neurosurgery at 4 out of 6, compared to 3 out of 6 by men. After the congress, this rating improved by one point on the Likert scale for both groups.

Conclusions

This study highlights gender-based differences in career planning, scientific and practical neurosurgery experiences, and mentoring opportunities during medical education. Initiatives such as congresses and mentoring programs could help address this imbalance by supporting female medical students from the early stages of their careers.