The Representation of Women on the Editorial Boards of Major Medical Journals: A 35-Year Perspective

I n their recent landmark report on gender bias in science and engineering, the National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine called for “reasonable representation of women on editorial boards and in other significant leadership positions.” Indeed, membership on the editorial board of a major medical journal is a highly visible, prestigious appointment and affords one the opportunity to have a substantial impact on the nature of the published scholarly discourse of academic medicine. Despite the increased entry of women into the medical profession over the past several decades, with women constituting half of the current medical school class, some have suggested that women may remain substantially underrepresented in senior leadership positions, including editorial positions at biomedical journals.