Zhixing Song, M.D., a research fellow at the UAB Department of Surgery, has been awarded the “Article of the Week” honor from the American Journal of Surgery’s Student and Resident Scholar (STARS) Committee for his study titled "The underrepresentation of women in academic surgery in China."

Song graduated from the Tsinghua School of Medicine in Beijing, China in 2023. While in medical school, he did two months of surgery electives at UAB. Impressed by the robust clinical training, academic excellence, and the collegiate environment, he joined UAB in June 2023 as a research fellow, working under the guidance of UAB Department of Surgery chair Herbert Chen, M.D. His primary interests are clinical outcome research and disparity research in endocrine surgery.

Inspired by the similar lack of women in academic surgery in both China and, historically in the U.S., Song wrote this paper in which he found that only 27% of general surgery residents and 7% of surgical attendings in China were women, with even lower percentages in leadership positions.

"I am deeply honored that our research has been highlighted as the article of the week," says Song. "Working within the inclusive environment of the UAB Department of Surgery, led by Dr. Chen, has prompted me to reflect on my experiences in China. I am grateful to all my mentors and friends at UAB surgery, and I hope that I can contribute my share in gender equality in academic surgery.”