Japan Study: Female Surgeons Get Fewer Robot-Assisted Surgery Opportunities

The Asahi Shimbun analyzed 48,000 gastric cancer surgeries and 38,000 rectal tumor surgeries performed in Japan between 2023 and 2024. The study compared the share of operations led by female versus male surgeons across robot-assisted, laparoscopic, and open techniques.

Female doctors served as the primary operator in just 4% of robot-assisted gastric cancer procedures and 5% of rectal tumor surgeries. In laparoscopic and open surgeries, the proportion was 8% to 12%.

The gender gap became pronounced roughly 10 years after a physician's registration, suggesting that career-stage factors may widen disparities. Limited access to robot-assisted training could hinder female surgeons' professional development in an increasingly technology-driven field. Robot-assisted surgery is growing in popularity for its precision and faster recovery, making equitable access a key concern.