According to the Royal Australian College of Surgery (RACS), 46.3% of the medical workforce in Australia and New Zealand were female in 2019, with a prediction that women will overtake men by 2025. Despite the gender diversification, women remain underrepresented in the surgical workforce, however current sub-specialty data is limited. In New Zealand, out of the 6 burns consultants, 3 are female. In Australia, less than half of the burns surgeons in each unit are female, although these numbers have been rising in recent years. In Burns surgery, despite the historically male environment, some of the greatest advances have come from leading female pioneers. Dr Zora Janžekovič was a surgeon practicing in Yugoslavia in the 1960s. She was a pioneer in burns surgery during its revolutionary era, working tirelessly with limited resources, but was often dismissed because she was a female surgeon leading an unknown surgical unit. Dr Janžekovič has since received the 2011 ABA lifetime achievement award for her contribution to burn surgery. In 2017 Medscape listed her in the 25 most influential doctors of the 20th century. A leading Australian burn surgeon Dr Fiona Wood has been awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (2003), and Australian of the Year (2005) and Officer of the Order of Australia (2024) for her contribution to Burn Surgery, including research into novel techniques of skin replacement. Thanks to the work and recognition of these female pioneers, and improvements in gender diversity, female junior doctors have access to improved mentorship and promotion to leadership roles. Gender disparities persist in burn surgery but with strong female leadership in both clinical and academic roles this will continue to improve.