S3015 Trends in Female Authorship in High-Impact Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Journals: A 10-Year Analysis

Introduction: Female underrepresentation in academic medicine, including gastroenterology, remains a persistent concern. Authorship in high-impact journals serves as a marker of academic productivity and career advancement. This study aimed to evaluate the gender distribution of first authorship and compare citation patterns between female and male authors in the 3 most impactful journals in gastrointestinal endoscopy over the past decade. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of articles published from 2015 to 2024 in Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and Digestive Endoscopy. Data were extracted from editorials, original articles, and reviews. For each article, we collected information on the first author's gender, article type, and the mean number of citations as of May 2025. Gender-based comparisons were made annually. Results: A total of 4,381 articles were analyzed, of which 889 (20.3%) had a female first author. The proportion of female first authors increased modestly from 19.8% in 2015 to 22.5% in 2024, though it remained consistently below 25% across all years. Among female first authors, 72.8% published original articles, compared to 59.6% among male first authors. The male-to-female citation ratio was 1.1 in 2015 and 1.0 in 2024, with a range of 0.8 to 1.2 over the study period, indicating that female-authored articles were cited at similar rates to those authored by men. Conclusion: This 10-year analysis highlights a persistent gender gap in first authorship in leading gastrointestinal endoscopy journals, with women accounting for approximately 1 in 5 first authors. However, female-led publications demonstrated citation parity with male-led work, suggesting that they have an equivalent scholarly impact. These findings underscore the importance of ongoing efforts to promote gender equity in academic gastroenterology, including mentorship programs, equitable editorial practices, and institutional support for women's research careers.