FEMALE SURGEONS IN THE 1990S - ACADEMIC ROLE MODELS

As part of a larger survey of the membership of the Association of Wom en Surgeons, data were collected to characterize the participation of women in academic surgery and surgical education. Of the 1500 members, 676 (45%) responded, and 318 of these respondents held a faculty appo intment. Two hundred thirty-nine of the respondents' practices were ba sed in a university or university-affiliated hospital. This sample was biased toward more academically motivated, upwardly mobile surgeons. Two hundred thirty-six of the respondents believed policies relating t o tenure are unfair to women. Four hundred fifty-three respondents rep orted having role models at some point in their career, half of whom w ere men. However, only 204 still had access to role models or mentors at the time of the survey. Six hundred thirty respondents believed tha t female medical students need successful female surgeons as role mode ls.