We are a group of aspiring women surgeons, fumbling through the complicated web of medical school, surgery residency, and the great beyond. This organization blossomed out of our desire for a judgement-free space where we felt comfortable discussing the hurdles we face being women in surgery. Not being able to identify such an organization, we decided to create Scalpel To Her—a community of young women surgeons and surgeons-to-be who empower one another. The road to becoming a surgeon is not an easy one, but with the support and mentorship of like-minded women who are traveling this road with you, we hope to help smooth the bumps along the way.
Here are the facts: according to the AAMC Physician Specialty Data Report, women make up only 22% of practicing general surgeons (and only 5.8% of orthopedic surgeons, 26.7% of ophthalmologists, 18.3% of otolaryngologists, and 17.2% of plastic surgeons!) within the United States. In 2018, minority women general surgeons made up 33.9% of all women surgeons, and only 7.2% of all practicing general surgeons! Not only are these figures not representative of the population of women in the United States, but they are also not representative of the percentage of active women physicians in the country (36.3%). The underlying reasons for these disparities are multifactorial. Here at Scalpel To Her, we want to identify, address, and challenge any of the obstacles that are hindering our presence in the sphere of surgery.
Our goals here at Scalpel To Her are simple. We want to hear and ask the tough questions, to provide a safe forum for inclusive mentorship, and to build confidence and resilience within each and every one of you.
We firmly believe that there is a space for women to empower each other and that at the end of the day our successes lie within the communities that help build us and help us rise. We hope Scalpel To Her can play a small part in that journey.
Sincerely,
Scalpel to Her 