What Resources Does AWS Provide for Women Surgeons?

Updated

The Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) provides a set of member-facing resources that fall into four main groups: a peer-reviewed journal connection (The American Journal of Surgery), practical toolkits such as the Gender Equity Toolkit and AWS Allyship Resources, publications and eBooks, and a broader library of webinars, mentorship programs, and career resources. These are aimed at women surgeons and their allies across career stages, from medical school through retirement, and most are accessed through the AWS website (womensurgeons.org) after joining or logging in as a member.

Publications and Written Resources

AWS lists the following under its Resources and Publications sections:

  • American Journal of Surgery — AWS maintains a connection to this journal, and it also appears under Opportunities as an "AJS Call for Abstracts," meaning members can respond to calls for abstract submissions.
  • Publications & eBooks — a dedicated category on the site for AWS-produced written material.
  • Toolkits — practical guides, with the Gender Equity Toolkit named specifically.
  • AWS Allyship Resources — material aimed at allies supporting women in surgery.
  • Blog and Podcast — ongoing content channels listed under News.

These are the resources to check first if you want citable, reusable material for a department, training program, or personal reference.

Programs and Career-Stage Resources

Beyond written publications, AWS organizes resources by career stage:

Audience Resources listed
Medical students Journal Club, Medical Students program, AWS Surgical Mentorship Program
Residents & Fellows Clinical Practice Coaching Program, Speaker Directory
All members Virtual Programs, Past Webinar Library, Past Conference materials (2024, 2025)
Job seekers Job Board, Survey Distribution
Leadership aspirants Better Mentor, Bigger Impact; Breaking the Glass Ceiling; Visiting Professorships & Host Institutions; Signature Speaker Series; Reviewer Academy

The Past Webinar Library and Past Conferences pages are useful if you missed a live event and want the recorded or archived content.

How to Access These Resources

  1. Go to womensurgeons.org.
  2. Use Member Login if you already have an account, or Join Now / Become an AWS Member if you do not.
  3. Navigate to Resources, Publications & eBooks, or Events → Past Webinar Library depending on what you need.
  4. Check Membership Categories and Member Benefits to confirm which resources are tied to which membership tier before joining.

Note that the site separates public pages (for example, general program descriptions) from member-only areas. The homepage does not state which specific resources are free versus member-restricted, so verify access level on the individual resource page or by contacting AWS through the Contact Us link.

Practical Notes

  • AWS was founded in 1981 and reports roughly 3,700 members of all genders across more than 40 countries, so its resources reflect an international membership rather than a single-country audience.
  • Its stated mission — to inspire, encourage, and enable women surgeons to realize their professional and personal goals — is the frame for how the resources are grouped: engage, empower, and excel.
  • If your goal is a specific deliverable (a mentorship match, a coaching session, an abstract submission, or a toolkit for your institution), start from the matching program page rather than the general Resources list, since each has its own eligibility and timing.