Distinguished Service Awards in Anesthesiology Specialty Societies: Analysis of Gender Differences

The authors queried 9 anesthesiology societies to examine Distinguished Service Award recipients over time by gender. Of the 211 total Distinguished Service Awards given by all 9 societies, women received 25 (11.8%). Comparing pre-2008 data to the most recent decade, there was no statistical difference in the number of women Distinguished Service Award recipients with 8.9% and 17.1% women Distinguished Service Award recipients, respectively (P = .076). Societies varied greatly in their women awardees, from 40% to 0% in the last decade. Low levels of awardees stand in contrast to the increasing number of women in the academic pipeline. The authors recommend that societies collect gender membership data and study their award processes from nomination to selection.