RESUMO

The participation of women in neurosurgery in Peru began in 1974 with the first Peruvian female neurosurgeon, who was accepted into a residency program with the condition of not getting married during her training. Nowadays, the conditions are more just, and there is greater equality of opportunities between men and women, but the numbers show that the differences have not yet been fully equalized. As evidence of this, it has been observed that only 17% of the residency positions offered in 2022 were filled by women, and there has been reduced participation of female neurosurgeons in the Peruvian Society of Neurosurgery. This article discusses the importance of tracking and promoting stories of Peruvian female neurosurgeons and calls for research in the area of women in neurosurgery in latin countries, like Peru.

Assuntos

Internato e Residência , Neurocirurgia , Masculino , Humanos , Feminino , Neurocirurgia/educação , Peru , Neurocirurgiões , Procedimentos Neurocirúrgicos

RESUMO

Nearly 75 years after the first woman neurosurgeon was trained in Latin America, the field of neurosurgery is changing and the prominence of women neurosurgeons within the specialty is increasing. By researching the histories of individual physicians and neurosurgeons, as well as neurosurgical departments and societies, we present, for the first time, the history of the women in neurosurgery in Latin America. Women neurosurgeons in the region have made notable progress, inspiring subsequent generations and actively participating in organized neurosurgery, medical leadership outside neurosurgery, academic neurosurgery, and leadership in contemporary society. The establishment of "Women in Neurosurgery" networks and organizations has been important to the success of many of these efforts. This collaborative study, which identifies the known women neurosurgeons in Latin America for the first time, may serve to provide background and context for further contributions of women neurosurgeons for our profession and our patients.

Assuntos

Neurocirurgiões/história , Neurocirurgia/história , Procedimentos Neurocirúrgicos/história , Médicas/história , Feminino , História do Século XX , História do Século XXI , Humanos , América Latina , Neurocirurgiões/tendências , Neurocirurgia/tendências , Procedimentos Neurocirúrgicos/tendências , Médicas/tendências

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Utilizing the Brazilian Medical Demography analysis and a literature review, we evaluated how women choose to become neurosurgeons in Brazil and around the world, specifically citing the Europe, the USA, India, and Japan. METHODS: We utilized the Brazilian Medical Demography prepared by the Federal Council of Medicine and the Regional Council of Medicine of the State of São Paulo (2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018). We also included an evaluation of 20 articles from PubMed, the Scientific Electronic Library Online, and National Health Library databases (e.g., using descriptors "Women in neurosurgery" and "Career"). RESULTS: In Brazil in 2017, women comprised 45.6% of active doctors, but only 8.6% of all neurosurgeons. Of 20 articles identified in the literature, 50% analyzed the factors that influenced how women choose neurosurgery, 40% dealt with gender differences, while just 10% included an analysis of what it is like to be a female neurosurgeon in different countries/continents. CONCLUSION: The participation of women in neurosurgery has increased in recent years despite the persistence of gender inequality and prejudice. More women need to be enabled to become neurosurgeons as their capabilities, manual dexterity, and judgment should be valued to improve the quality of neurosurgical health-care delivery.