Progress of women in neurosurgery

Despite advances in issues related to gender equity, barriers to recruiting and retaining women in neurosurgery continue to exist. At the same time, the overall projected shortage of neurosurgeons suggests that women will be vital to the long-term success of the field. Attracting women to neurosurgery can capitalize on strategies, such as mentoring, teaching leadership and negotiating skills, and job sharing or dual training tracks to name a few, that would benefit both men and women passionate about pursuing neurosurgery. Ultimately, personal and institutional accountability must be evaluated to ensure that the best and brightest candidates, regardless of gender, are recruited to neurosurgical programs to promote the health of our challenging but most satisfying profession.