Women in oncology: progress, challenges, and keys to success

Women have an increasingly significant presence in the oncology physician workforce but remain underrepresented in leadership positions and at the senior levels of academic medicine. Initiatives to close these gaps are underway both in the United States and Europe. However, many areas for improvement remain on an organizational level and in the trenches of career development and mentorship for individual female oncologists in both community and academic settings. Solutions to advance women in the oncology workforce will involve policy initiatives by professional and funding organizations, individual initiatives by universities and practices to recognize and develop female leaders, an increased focus on teamwork and novel practice arrangements, and high-quality mentorship of young women entering the oncology field.