Perry initiative: bridging gender gap in orthopaedic education

Sir,

Orthopaedic surgery is discipline with evident skewed gender ratio that has not seen changes with time. Traditionally associated with masculinity and physical endurance, the branch still is considered not suitable as a career for and by female doctors the world over.

Improved instrumentation and multitudes of gadgets have changed the face of orthopaedic surgery, improving the functionality thus reliance on physical rigor and stamina less relevant. The recent times has seen increase in the number of female orthopaedic surgeons in developed world in tandem with other fields of medicine. The situation in developing countries is still dismal.

Perry initiative, a concept dedicated to Dr Jacqueline Perry, a foremost female orthopaedic surgeon of United States, was developed to initiate the rise in female participation in orthopaedics and engineering through various orientation programmes and activities.¹ It has proved to be instrumental in supporting the cause. The programme, since its inception has helped numerous interested and aspiring females to join the workforce in field of orthopaedics and excel.

Many female doctors are leaders in their area of interest and expertise, orthopaedics may also gain from the same as new ideas and thinking take their course. Developing countries also require to emulate or start a new initiative drawing inspiration from this ground breaking system.

REFERENCES

1. 1. The Perry Initiative. Available at http://perryinitiative.org/about/mission-statement/. Accessed 10 May 2015.