The disproportion of female and male surgeons in cardiothoracic surgery.

In ancient times, female medical practitioners and female surgeons were well known. With the introduction of medicine as an academic course and the ban on women studying, the medical career became virtually impossible for women. This condition changed with the general admission for women to colleges, in Germany in 1908. The current situation of women in surgery is presented here, with cardiovascular surgery as an example. Of 302 active cardiothoracic and cardiac surgeons 4.6% are female. According to an inquiry of all German heart institutes, there are 20 female senior registrars and 27 female surgeons as well as 162 female assistants. Most of the medical directors do have a positive opinion about female surgeons, but criticize that only a few women who apply for actually finish surgical training. One reason for this may be the greater difficulties for women to take care of a family and become a surgeon simultaneously. In this regard, an improvement in the position of female doctors is desirable.