Gender Disparities and Neurosurgical Training Among Residents From the Andean Community in Latin America

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study investigated gender disparities in neurosurgical training among residents in Andean Latin America, focusing on operative autonomy, case experience, and barriers to academic and professional development. METHODS: A total of 132 neurosurgical residents and early-career neurosurgeons from the Andean Community in Latin America participated in this study. An electronic survey assessed neuroanatomy knowledge, self-reported operative autonomy, and case volumes and identified limitations to academic excellence. Anatomy survey responses were graded at baseline and postintervention. Participants engaged in educational interventions, including a hands-on simulation course, traditional lectures, and web-based tools, focusing on the critical operative anatomy of various approaches. RESULTS: Participants included 21 women and 111 men. Women reported less supratentorial experience than men (median [IQR], 10 [1-20] cases vs 20 [5-50] cases; mean [SD], 15.9 [21.6] vs 35.7 [40.8], P < .01, 95% CI: 9.15-30.45) and lower rates of operative autonomy (57% vs 77%). Despite these challenges, female and male participants had comparable levels of neuroanatomic knowledge. Before the intervention, 17 (81%) women were classified in the subpar group, decreasing to 8 (38%) after the intervention ( P = .04, 95% CI: 0.00-0.29). The lack of anatomy courses was identified as a limitation by a significantly greater proportion of women than men (15 of 21 [71%] vs 44 of 111 [40%]; P = .04, 95% CI: 10.4%-53.2%). CONCLUSION: This study highlights significant gender disparities in neurosurgical training within the Andean region. Although female and male residents demonstrate comparable academic performance, women face substantial barriers in operative experience and autonomy. Addressing these disparities through targeted educational interventions is essential for fostering equity in neurosurgical training and enhancing opportunities for female residents in low- and middle-income countries.