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Overview:
Starting from the 1970s, women began to gain more and more recognition in the medical field. Reports from western industrialized countries have shown an increase in the percentage of women entering medical school. Women are getting equal opportunities to gain admission into Med-School, with about 45% female admissions in United States Medical Schools.
However, till this day, they still fail to gain representation in higher fields. Women occupy only 10 percent of all department chairs. Thus, ‘glass ceiling’ would be an accurate term to describe women in medicine; despite the immense medical gains made by women, they are still halted by the ‘glass ceiling’. Some believe that this phenomenon is due to the gender schemas society holds. Women are often viewed as having less competence, being ‘less competent’, and weak. Because of this, they often have to assert themselves much more in order to get attention and receive negative reactions as a result.
Differences in Pay:
Female physicians earn an average of $22,347 less than their male colleagues. In primary care, reports show incomes from 60% less, all the way to 85% less than male counterparts. When analyzing the 5 largest healthcare occupations, women were found to be more than twice as likely as men to work as nurses (median wage $31.24 per hour) or nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides (median wage $12.64 per hour), and were significantly more likely to work as personal and home care aides (median wage $11.35 per hour). Men were found more than 5 times as likely as women to work as physicians or surgeons (median wage $67.00 per hour) and were also more likely than women to work as medical and health services managers (median wage $31.73 per hour).
Female Physicians are linked with Improved Patient Outcome
Not only does this discourage females from being medical workers, but also causes the loss of so many wonderful patient care-takers. Female physicians display specific behaviors that are linked to improved patient outcomes: conducting longer, more talkative visits with patients, gaining more medical information from patients, and reflecting more of a partnership. Female physicians provide more preventive health services and maintain better patient relationships, reducing the likelihood of malpractice claims
Pregnancy and Childbirth on Females in Medicine
Women who go through pregnancy claim to have dissatisfaction with their maternity leave conditions. Many women felt they were being punished for having a child and expressed great disappointment. Women in medicine claimed that they would prefer longer leaves, greater training flexibility and more childcare opportunities. With the length and severity of medical training, women should be helped with family planning. Improved policies on childcare services in the residency program and the workplace should be developed. Female physicians perform most of the childcare and household responsibilities, compared with male physicians and sacrifice leisure time in order to work fulltime and raise a family
What should be done?
(a) identify and promote female role models that achieve successful work-life balance
(b) establish programs to develop female leaders
(c) create opportunities for females to increase the international visibility within the scientific community
(d) establish archives and databases of women in STEM.
Woman in Medicine:
Elizabeth Blackwell (1821 - 1890) is perhaps the most well known woman in healthcare as she was the first ever American Woman to be awarded a medical degree. Although Dr. Blackwell faces discrimintation for years, that didn't stop her. In 1857, Dr. Blackwell opened the New York Infirmary to provide positions to female physicians for Women and Children. She also opened a medical college for women in New York City.
Florence Nightingale (1820 - 1910) wrote over 150 books, pamphlets, and reports on heart-related issues. Furthermore, she is credited for creating one of the first versions of the pie chart. But most importantly, Nightingale set a vision for nursing as a profession. Before Nightingale’s contribution to the world of medicine, nursing was viewed as a profession for the untrained. But, she established principles and priorities for nursing and turned it into a highly skilled and well-respected profession.
Antonia Novello shattered a political glass ceiling when she was named the first female Surgeon General of the United States under George H.W. Bush.
Mary Edwards Walker was an American abolitionist, prohibitionist, prisoner of war and surgeon. She is the only woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor.
Clarissa Harlowe Barton risked her life to bring supplies and support to soldiers in the field during the Civil War.
Sources:
Career Obstacles for Women in Medicine
Pink-Collar Medicine: Women and the Future of Medicine
(Primary Source) Do Women Make Good Doctors?
Economic Vulnerability Among US Female Health Care Workers: Potential Impact of a $15-per-Hour Minimum Wage.
Solutions to Gender Balance in STEM Fields Through Support, Training, Education and Mentoring: Report of the International Women in Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Task Group.
'For Passion or for Future Family?' Exploring Factors Influencing Career and Family Choices of Female Medical Students and Residents.
America's First Female Doctors Changed the Practice of Medicine.
First black female doctor in U.S. honored with headstone
Religious Orientation, Endorser Credibility, and the Portrayal of Female Nurses by the Media.
Associations of Occupational Stressors, Perceived Organizational Support, and Psychological Capital with Work Engagement among Chinese Female Nurses.
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1 circumstances of women in business and academia. It implies that recognition and rank commensurate with one's success may be visible yet unattainable for many women.
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