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[3]
In the last paper, “Mentorship and early career mentorship” , Dr. Ferrari et al. emphasize the lack of
available mentors, particularly same-sex mentors for young female surgeons, as a detriment for choosing a
surgical career. The importance of mentorship for personal and professional development at different career
stages is highlighted. The authors discuss how technology now enables long-distance mentorship, thus
overcoming geographical barriers and enhancing the surgical and professional performance of telementored
surgeons who may not have the opportunity to attend in-person courses, workshops, or conferences.

While AI offers promises in eliminating gender-based discrimination, as demonstrated by the papers in this
Special Issue, it is crucial to be aware of the potential risks involved. Inappropriately designed and trained
AI algorithms used in surgical settings can inherit and amplify existing biases from the training data,
inadvertently perpetuating gender biases and inequalities in the surgical field. Therefore, active awareness
and diligent oversight are essential to ensure that the deployment of AI technologies effectively combats
gender biases and fosters equality in the field.

Finally, in the NEWS section, an interview with Prof. Franca Melfi, President of SIET (Italian Society of
Endoscopic Thoracic Surgery) and Past Thoracic Domain Chair of EACTS (European Association for
Cardio-Thoracic Surgery), a master in robotic surgery, conducted by Dr. Parini, explores a remarkable
career in a male-dominated field, covering a journey driven by passion, motivation, and perseverance.

In conclusion, with this Special Issue, the AIS journal fully embraces the purpose of being the official
Journal of Women in Surgery Italia!

DECLARATIONS
Authors’ contributions
Made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the study and performed data analysis and
interpretation: Frigerio I, Rashidian N
Performed data acquisition, as well as provided administrative, technical, and material support: Frigerio I,
Rashidian N

Availability of data and materials
Not applicable.

Financial support and sponsorship
None.

Conflicts of interest
All authors declared that there are no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval and consent to participate
Not applicable.

Consent for publication
Not applicable.

Copyright
© The Author(s) 2023.