Diversity Trends in the United States Surgical Society Leadership From 1980 to 2025

TL;DR

This study shows that surgical societies in the U.S. have become more diverse in leadership over time, with more women and non-White individuals in top roles since 1980.

Contribution

The study provides empirical evidence of increasing diversity in U.S. surgical society leadership over a 45-year period.

Findings

Female and non-White presidents increased significantly in surgical societies from 1980 to 2025.

Some societies like AAS and Surgical Society of the Alimentary Tract had more non-White presidents than average.

Leadership age varied significantly across different surgical societies.

Abstract

Background

Physicians from underrepresented groups in medicine have historically been less likely to enter surgical specialties. This project sought to evaluate changes in the demographics of surgical society leadership from 1980 to 2025.

Methodology

In total, 31 societies were included in this retrospective analysis, and data on age, sex, and ethnicity were gathered and analyzed using SPSS.

Results

There was a significant increase in the number of female presidents and non-White presidents in the 2010-2025 period compared to 1980-1995. The Association for Academic Surgery (AAS), American Society of Breast Surgeons, and the Association for Surgical Education all had more female presidents than average, while the American Urological Association had fewer. AAS and the Surgical Society of the Alimentary Tract both had more non-White presidents than other societies. The American Pediatric Surgical Association and Western Surgical Association presidents were significantly older, while the AAS, American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, EAST Trauma Society, Midwestern Surgical Society, and Society for University Surgeons presidents were significantly younger than the overall median age.

Conclusions

Many surgical societies have improved their representation of women and non-White surgeons. These significant changes in representation signify an appreciation for the demographic changes in the United States within the past 45 years.

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