Study Examines Women’s Underrepresentation Among Practicing Plastic Surgeons

A team of scholars from Michigan State University has recently published a literary review regarding barriers to entry that have led to women’s underrepresentation in the plastic surgery profession. According to their study, less than 18 percent of practicing plastic surgeons in the United States are women.

The authors reviewed a sample of prior studies published between 2013 and 2023 and identified several gender disparities that face women before, during, and after their residency trainings. Primary barriers identified before plastic surgery training included a lack of women role models and an underrepresentation of women presenters at plastic surgery conferences.

During their residency training, the most prominent barrier facing women surgeons was pregnancy, with women residents experiencing a wide range of challenges not experienced by their male peers. According to the authors, several prior studies found that women plastic surgeons were significantly more likely than male surgeons to delay having children and experience infertility due to the demands of their medical training. Women plastic surgeons who were pregnant during their residencies also reported a lack of support, with many stating they had no reduced clinical hours and had to work until the initiation of labor. The authors also discovered a significant gender gap in residents’ number of research publications.

After residency training, the authors uncovered several gender disparities in both academic and industry settings. Women plastic surgeons are underrepresented in faculty positions, and significantly less likely to be department chairs, division chiefs, or program directors. Among practicing surgeons in industry and academia, women in plastic surgery are often paid less than their male peers. One study found that in 2017, the highest paid male academic plastic surgeon received $428,429, while the highest paid woman received $82,795.

Although these barriers facing women plastic surgeons continue to persist, the authors state that their representation is on an upward trajectory. According to their review, women currently make up nearly 40 percent of all plastic surgeon residents in the United States, suggesting a need to develop systemic interventions that could enhance equality for women pursuing a career in the field.