Gender Inequality in Hand Society Leadership Worldwide.

BACKGROUND

Despite the increasing representation of women in medical schools, surgical specialties, particularly hand surgery, remain male-dominated. Gender disparities persist across multiple career stages, with women underrepresented in leadership positions within national and international hand surgery societies. The purpose of this study is to analyze the current landscape of women leadership in national and international hand surgery societies.

METHODS

In December 2024, an internet search was conducted to identify hand surgery societies with publicly available leadership data. The proportion of female leaders in each society was calculated to evaluate gender representation.

RESULTS

Among 51 national societies across six continents and three international federations (Asia Pacific Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand, Federation of European Societies for Surgery of the Hand, and International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand), women held 22% of international and 20% of national leadership roles. Regional female representation was highest in Oceania (44%) and lowest in North America (7%). Twelve societies had no female leaders, while one was entirely led by women.

CONCLUSION

Substantial gender disparity persists globally in hand society leadership. Targeted efforts to enhance transparency, mentorship, and systemic change should be implemented or expanded to foster inclusive leadership environments.