Women only make up about 18 percent of the orthopedic surgeon workforce, one of the largest gender disparities across healthcare specialties.
Additionally, female orthopedic surgeons earn 20 percent less than their male counterparts.
Surgeons believe that the lack of role models in the field, workplace culture issues and an environment that lacks diversity have turned many women away from the specialty.
Even with major disparities, there are still women making strides in orthopedic and spine surgeries. Here are four recent moves by women in the field to know:
1. Mary Mulcahey, MD, was named the division director of sports medicine at Maywood, Ill.-based Loyola Medicine.
2. The Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Foundation named Holly Johnson, MD, and Casey Humbyrd, MD, as the recipients of two women's leadership awards for 2023.
3. Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University welcomed its first Black female neurosurgery resident, Tamia Potter, MD.
4. Castle Connolly named 51 women to its list of Exceptional Women in Medicine for 2023.