Françoise Lapierre, Bernadette Stilhart, the First Two Female Department Heads In French Neurosurgery.

We believe it is crucial to discuss the roles of women in medicine, specifically in surgery and neurosurgery. Despite society's progress toward gender equality in surgery and neurosurgery, these fields remain predominantly male. Recognizing and supporting these talented women allow them to bring attention to their contributions in their respective fields. Two notable French neurosurgeons, Françoise Lapierre, and Bernadette Stilhart, have played significant roles in their field for several decades. Françoise Lapierre, the second head of neurosurgery at Poitiers since its creation, was one of the first female heads of neurosurgery in France. In addition to her departmental role, she has also conducted training missions in the Far East, specifically in Vietnam and Cambodia. She also served as the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Neurochirurgie for several years. Bernadette Stilhart, with a career spanning almost 50 years, has trained multiple generations of neurosurgeons from France and around the world. She has also been the head of one of France's oldest neurosurgery departments in Colmar, Alsace for 20 years.