In the last two decades, there has been an increase in the proportion of female applicants and matriculants to medical school and surgical residencies. This change indicates a narrowing of the gender gap across the levels of training. In the mid-2000s, the proportion of women applying to general surgery programs surpassed 33% and the entering general surgery resident class surpassed 40% female. The 2018 vascular surgery integrated (0 + 5) residency applicant pool consisted of 106, 27.04%, women and 286, 72.96%, men. Today, approximately 30% of the current vascular trainees are women.

At the medical education level, the rate of increase has been faster. Since 2011, each year has seen a higher rate increase in the number of female matriculating students than the year prior. The 2018 rate of increase of female matriculants was 3.2% more than the prior year. In 2011, this rate was 0.3%. In 2018, 11,160 women were enrolled in medical school, comprising 51.6% of the medical school class across the country.

As women continue to comprise ever larger proportions US medical graduates, the ability to attract the brightest applicants to the field of vascular surgery has necessitated an emphasis on the recruitment of women vascular surgery residency applicants. Data from business literature shows that gender diversity and identifying with women in leadership positions correlates with young women choosing to enter a male dominated field.