The evolution of women as physicians and surgeons

Women have played an active role as physicians and surgeons from earliest h istory. In the United States, medical education for women began in 1847 and nourished as medical schools proliferated to meet the growing population d emand. The Flexner Report in 1910 resulted in about half the medical school s in the U.S. closing; many of them had admitted women. The number of women medical students increased beginning in the 1970s, until now, 43% of medic al school graduates are women. The number of women residents has increased concomitantly from 22% in 1980 to 36% in 1997. Women residents in surgical training programs lag behind. Thoracic surgery has the lowest percent of wo men residents, at 5%. Unless an attempt is made to actively recruit women, thoracic surgery training: programs are in danger of drawing from an increa singly smaller portion of medical school graduates. (Ann Thorac Surg 2001;7 1:S27-9) (C) 2001 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.