Only 8% of practicing neurosurgeons are women. This is despite over 50% of medical students being female, and nearly 20% representation in neurosurgery trainees. There are many factors that are clearly contributing, below, but ignoring the facts and pretending like it is purely choice (it is not) is a major part of the problem. 🧠 Demanding and unpredictable hours contributing to work-life balance concerns exaccerbated by misperceptions and stereotypes 🧠Societal expectations regarding a woman's role at home 🧠 Heavily male-dominated leadership with fewer opportunities for advancement in a "boys club" mentality 🧠Lack of representation giving young women few models to aspire to 🧠 Inconsistent and inadequate policies around parental leave Many of these factors are modifiable. If you want to ask why it's so important- the answer is that any field which categorically blocks out 50% of the population will miss out on incredibly talented individuals who can contribute significantly to providing a diverse work force to improve patient care and bring fresh perspectives. #womeninmedicine #womeninstem #womensupportingwomen #womenempowerment #neurosurgery