Representation of Women in the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association: Evidence for Positive Change

Background: Despite increases in female representation within the cardiothoracic surgical workforce and societal memberships, our previous work has demonstrated that at the national level, women's roles have remained stagnant among conference presentations and leadership opportunities. In this study, we sought to identify whether similar findings exist at the regional level, specifically within the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association (STSA). Methods: STSA Annual Meeting Program Books from 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018 were reviewed for women's representation among oral abstract authors, invited speakers, moderators, STSA leadership, and award recipients. Differences between the sexes and time points were assessed with χ² analyses and t tests, respectively. Results: In 2003, women accounted for 4 of 102 authors (3.9%), including 2 of 51 (3.9%) presenting and 2 of 51 (3.9%) senior roles. From 2003 to 2018, increases in female authorship were observed, with 18 of 85 (21.2%) presenting and 13 of 85 (15.3%) senior author positions filled by women (P =.017 and P =.072, respectively). Compared with men, women consistently accounted for fewer invited speakers (P <.050 for all years). Although women represented fewer session moderators (P <.050 for all years), a significant increase was observed over time, from 0 of 2 (0.0%) in 2003 to 18 of 105 (17.1%) in 2018 (P =.009). Compared with 2003, women also increased significantly among STSA committee members in 2018 (0 of 7 [0.0%] vs 6 of 40 [15.0%], P <.001). Conclusions: Over the last 15 years, women have been increasingly represented among STSA Annual Meeting presenting authors, session moderators, and committee members. However, opportunity for greater emphasis on diversity and inclusion exists, particularly among invited speakers and STSA leadership.