Progress or stagnation? Is neurosurgery remaining a men’s world?
Although the number of female medical school students is increasing, there is an imbalance regarding women in neurosurgery. In addition, a huge gender gap concerning leading positions as well as scientific careers exists. We performed a questionnaire-based data assessment of former and current neuro...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Medical Education Online |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10872981.2025.2535414 |
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| _version_ | 1849470691644014592 |
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| author | Marion Rapp Laura Makowski Franziska Staub-Bartelt Julia Steinmann Michael Sabel |
| author_facet | Marion Rapp Laura Makowski Franziska Staub-Bartelt Julia Steinmann Michael Sabel |
| author_sort | Marion Rapp |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although the number of female medical school students is increasing, there is an imbalance regarding women in neurosurgery. In addition, a huge gender gap concerning leading positions as well as scientific careers exists. We performed a questionnaire-based data assessment of former and current neurosurgical residents, medical school students in their final and medical school students in their first year. The questionnaire assessed reasons for resigning from the residency program as well as possible discrimination or gender-specific disadvantages which prevent medical school students from choosing a surgical speciality. We found that significantly more (p = 0.05) female residents left neurosurgical training and indicated gender-based inequalities during the program (p < 0.001). Significantly fewer final-year students would choose a surgical career compared to first-year medical students (p < 0.001). The main reasons against neurosurgical training were poor work-life balance, psychological stress and difficulties in family/child care. Women must continue to be supported to pursue surgical and scientific careers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-19f49ef229234ff0b8cb7fcbcb953dbb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1087-2981 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medical Education Online |
| spelling | doaj-art-19f49ef229234ff0b8cb7fcbcb953dbb2025-08-20T03:25:05ZengTaylor & Francis GroupMedical Education Online1087-29812025-12-0130110.1080/10872981.2025.2535414Progress or stagnation? Is neurosurgery remaining a men’s world?Marion Rapp0Laura Makowski1Franziska Staub-Bartelt2Julia Steinmann3Michael Sabel4Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Düsseldorf, GermanyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Düsseldorf, GermanyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Düsseldorf, GermanyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Düsseldorf, GermanyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Düsseldorf, GermanyAlthough the number of female medical school students is increasing, there is an imbalance regarding women in neurosurgery. In addition, a huge gender gap concerning leading positions as well as scientific careers exists. We performed a questionnaire-based data assessment of former and current neurosurgical residents, medical school students in their final and medical school students in their first year. The questionnaire assessed reasons for resigning from the residency program as well as possible discrimination or gender-specific disadvantages which prevent medical school students from choosing a surgical speciality. We found that significantly more (p = 0.05) female residents left neurosurgical training and indicated gender-based inequalities during the program (p < 0.001). Significantly fewer final-year students would choose a surgical career compared to first-year medical students (p < 0.001). The main reasons against neurosurgical training were poor work-life balance, psychological stress and difficulties in family/child care. Women must continue to be supported to pursue surgical and scientific careers.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10872981.2025.2535414Gender disparitywomen in neurosurgeryneurosurgical residencymedical educationmedical career inequality |
| spellingShingle | Marion Rapp Laura Makowski Franziska Staub-Bartelt Julia Steinmann Michael Sabel Progress or stagnation? Is neurosurgery remaining a men’s world? Medical Education Online Gender disparity women in neurosurgery neurosurgical residency medical education medical career inequality |
| title | Progress or stagnation? Is neurosurgery remaining a men’s world? |
| title_full | Progress or stagnation? Is neurosurgery remaining a men’s world? |
| title_fullStr | Progress or stagnation? Is neurosurgery remaining a men’s world? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Progress or stagnation? Is neurosurgery remaining a men’s world? |
| title_short | Progress or stagnation? Is neurosurgery remaining a men’s world? |
| title_sort | progress or stagnation is neurosurgery remaining a men s world |
| topic | Gender disparity women in neurosurgery neurosurgical residency medical education medical career inequality |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10872981.2025.2535414 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marionrapp progressorstagnationisneurosurgeryremainingamensworld AT lauramakowski progressorstagnationisneurosurgeryremainingamensworld AT franziskastaubbartelt progressorstagnationisneurosurgeryremainingamensworld AT juliasteinmann progressorstagnationisneurosurgeryremainingamensworld AT michaelsabel progressorstagnationisneurosurgeryremainingamensworld |