From Exclusion to Leadership: Women in Cuban Surgery

Abstract

Specialization in general surgery for women has been a controversial topic fraught with expectations. Therefore, with the aim of documenting the historical evolution of women surgeons in Cuba, a qualitative historical-documentary study was conducted on women’s participation in Cuban surgery, from the earliest references in the 19th century to the consolidation of their leadership in the 21st century. The analysis of primary and secondary sources was supplemented by semistructured interviews with female surgeons from different generations, which made it possible to link the processes of exclusion and change to their personal experiences in surgical departments. The study reveals a transition from invisibility and the explicit denial of women’s access to surgical training toward a gradual incorporation into clinical practice, teaching, and research. Building on the milestone represented by the first women to graduate in general surgery in 1959 and on exemplary figures such as Dr. Viviana Pérez Porra, the study documents a sustained increase in the number of female surgeons in Cuba and their presence in national groups, scientific societies, and leadership positions in surgical departments, as well as their attainment of scientific degrees. It is concluded that, although women have moved from exclusion to leadership in multiple areas of Cuban surgery, equity gaps persist that require specific institutional policies, historiographical visibility, and the strengthening of support and mentoring networks among female surgeons.