The national and global impact of “Women in Thoracic Surgery”

Women in thoracic surgery in the United States are a diverse group with a variety of backgrounds and important expertise. Although the presence of women thoracic surgeons is growing, there remains a large gap, with women making up just under 4% of all board-certified thoracic surgeons in the United States. Currently, 22% of thoracic surgery residents are women, while 3% of Department of Surgery Chairs are women. Significant strides have been made in recent decades to recruit and promote women in thoracic surgery, but clearly there remains more work to be done. The Women in Thoracic Surgery (WTS) organization was created in 1986 for the purpose of facilitating the mutual support and professional advancement of women in the field, and its development and influence as a society has grown exponentially since then. The WTS mission statement includes enhancing the care and education provided to our patients as well as focusing on the development of women thoracic surgeons through mentoring and educational programs. In addition, the WTS creates opportunities to promote the visibility of women, and documents these accomplishments to shape our identity in the world’s view. Here, we review some of the landmark achievements of the society and its members as well as goals for the future.