Representation of Women at Vitreoretinal Meetings

Drs. Jay Sridhar and Nina Berrocal discuss their presentation at the ASRS 2021 annual meeting about representation by women at vitreoretinal meetings. Dr. Sridhar noted that from 2015 to 2019, greater representation of women was driven by an increase in women submitting abstracts. Conference programs with at least one female committee member drastically impacted the number of female invited speakers and panelists. To increase diversity, he explains, leadership must be diverse and representation needs to be a guiding principle. Dr. Berrocal noted that the professional timeline for female physicians differs from that of their male counterparts. When women finish residency, they are in their thirties, and starting a family often takes precedence, so they may not make it to the podium until their forties. The COVID-19 pandemic has enabled women to participate in virtual presentations, allowing them to remain home and still be at the podium.