ºìÐÓÊÓƵ

It is hard to believe that half a century has passed since the first International Women’s Day was marked by the United Nations in 1975. This annual recognition of the achievements of women is always a period of mixed reflection for me. Although it is a time to celebrate how far we have come in supporting women who wish to pursue a surgical career, it is also a reminder of how much there is still to do for us as a profession to achieve gender equality. This was clearly highlighted in yesterday’s report from the GMC that surgery was lagging well behind the other medical specialties in attracting women.

The theme, therefore, of this year's International Women’s Day ‘Accelerate Action’ could not be more relevant and I can assure you that your College has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to address this inequity. We initially set up the Hunter Doig Short Life Working Group (named after our first female fellow and first council member) with wide representation from our UK and international membership, to discuss the barriers that were preventing women’s career advancement. More importantly, we asked the group to look at ways to address these challenges. We are all aware that surgical training is a long and demanding process, for both men and women, due to the highly complex skill set that needs to be acquired. Evidence from the surgical literature shows that women are less likely to pass their MRCS part A than men, are more likely to achieve poor ARCP outcomes and tend to drop out of higher surgical training more frequently than their male counterparts. The reasons for this are not fully elucidated, but include a poor NHS workplace culture, where bullying and harassment continues to be prevalent. Women also tend to take on more of the caring responsibilities for their children and relatives, bringing additional challenge to achieving an acceptable work-life balance. There is also a lack of female surgeons in leadership positions, who can act as mentors and role models for those following them. 

The Hunter Doig group suggested several initial interventions to try and redress these inequalities. Their first proposal was to set up a new College committee which would focus entirely on addressing this issue. In the next few weeks, we will be advertising for members and fellows to join this committee. We are looking for individuals, both female and male, who are passionate about this issue to apply.

The next intervention was to promote the role of women in surgery, to recognise and publicise the accomplishments of the trailblazing female surgeons from our College, in order to inspire future generations. I wish to pay testament to our Director of Heritage, Chante St Clair Inglis, and her team who have initiated a new Women in Surgery exhibition in our museum and commissioned a portrait of our prestigious female surgeon Hunter Doig medal winners, which will be unveiled in early April.

The Hunter Doig Group were also concerned by the lack of women applying to be members of our examination and education faculty, members of our committees or Council. One of the first tasks for our new committee will be to help promote College roles to women and find ways to make this more achievable through flexible scheduling of meetings, the consideration of role sharing and the provision of childcare where required.

Over the last 12 months, we have also been advocating for women at national level with our regulators, NHS organisations and other stakeholders to implement policies to support women in the workplace, particularly through our work on sexual harassment and the #Letsremoveit campaign. The adoption of a national anonymous reporting system in NHS England for sexual misconduct was very welcomed. Our trainees committee has also produced excellent guidance to help those going on maternal or paternal leave to navigate the bureaucratic minefield that this entails. They have also worked with the BOA to campaign for the safe provision of PPE for female trainees who are exposed to radiation at work, given the increased prevalence of breast cancer in this group.

Despite all the challenges noted above, I am extremely optimistic about the future of surgery. Last night, I attended a Presidential Forum in Belfast where over 100 young medical students and trainee surgeons joined us for dinner and a series of entertaining, educational lectures. The young women and men that I met were so passionate about pursuing a career in surgery and we are already looking for tips on how to make their portfolio stand out from their peers to be successful in training selection interviews. As you would expect, the audience reflected the demographic of Queens medical school, which is predominately female. 

In conclusion, while the 2025 International Women’s Day theme ‘Accelerate Action’ is a call to address gender inequalities in surgery, it also highlights the ongoing efforts by the College to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for women. Through the establishment of committees, exhibitions, and advocacy, the College is committed to overcoming the barriers faced by female surgeons and inspiring future generations. The passion and dedication of young medical students and trainees witnessed at recent events underscore a hopeful future for gender equality in the surgical profession.