{"id":"0263e599-f361-48f4-b724-4253782291ba","slug":"sarah-mutomb-the-first-female-neurosurgeon-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo","title":"Sarah Mutomb, the first female neurosurgeon in the Democratic Republic of the Congo","authors":["Keyvan Mostofi"],"abstract":"Background: Sarah Mutomb is recognized as the first female neurosurgeon in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a country where women have historically faced significant barriers in professional fields. Despite advancements since the 1990s, female neurosurgeons in the DRC continue to encounter challenges such as lack of respect, harassment, and inequitable professional opportunities compared to their male counterparts. Summary: Born in 1986, Sarah Mutomb completed her medical education at the University of Lubumbashi and pursued her neurosurgery residency in Senegal after facing discrimination in other programs. Throughout her career, she has had to overcome skepticism from patients regarding her abilities as a female surgeon, but she has persisted and returned to educate future neurosurgeons in her home country. Conclusion: Sarah Mutomb's journey exemplifies the resilience and determination required to succeed as a female neurosurgeon in a male-dominated society. Her achievements highlight the ongoing need for gender equity in surgical professions and serve as an inspiration for future generations of women in medicine. Keywords: neurosurgery, female surgeon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, gender equity, medical education, Sarah Mutomb, women in medicine","thumbnailUrl":"https://sni-digital-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/0263e599-f361-48f4-b724-4253782291ba/featured/hero-1781558838763.png","publishDate":"2025-02-28T00:00:00.000Z","doi":"10.25259/SNI_72_2025","categories":["History of Medicine","Guest Editorial"],"fullTextUrl":"https://surgicalneurologyint.com/api/articles/0263e599-f361-48f4-b724-4253782291ba/pdf"}