Women in medicine
http://www.100md.com
《英国医生杂志》
EDITOR—With reference to Heath's editorial on women in medicine,1 what does "status" mean and how relevant is it to those of us deemed to be in "low" status work, such as family practice?
Simply to express status in terms that are measurable, such as pay, job position, and head counts, does not address the real themes, which are personal and professional contentment. The eroding social status of doctors should be viewed positively for professional vanity has divided the profession and alienated patients. The influx of people from lower social classes and of women has done much to break the old hierarchy and the destructive "status culture" over the past 30 years. Status is an individual perspective and should never be confused with mere "position." Childcare, also, is not a panacea to reach professional equality, and many doctors positively choose to parent their own children. The impact of these commitments long outlasts the grey flaking portraits that hang in the royal colleges.
To reach true equality lies paradoxically by challenging the largely unresearched gender role of men in society. Are men cardboard cut out figures: inarticulate, cold, aggressive, uncaring, incapable of loving or caring for their children? Is it time men be allowed and encouraged to emulate women's dual role? For this to happen, however, society and the profession need to tackle the "stereotype" of maleness and ditch some of the outdated assumptions that gender is a one way street.
Finally, women have helped "humanise" the medical profession. We should strive to have a profession dominated by doctors who care and not encourage more self obsessed and status driven applicants.
Des Spence, general practitioner
Glasgow G20 9DR destwo@yahoo.co.uk
Competing interests: None declared.
References
Heath I. Women in medicine: continuing unequal status of women may reduce the influence of the profession. BMJ 2004;329: 412-3. (21 August.)
Simply to express status in terms that are measurable, such as pay, job position, and head counts, does not address the real themes, which are personal and professional contentment. The eroding social status of doctors should be viewed positively for professional vanity has divided the profession and alienated patients. The influx of people from lower social classes and of women has done much to break the old hierarchy and the destructive "status culture" over the past 30 years. Status is an individual perspective and should never be confused with mere "position." Childcare, also, is not a panacea to reach professional equality, and many doctors positively choose to parent their own children. The impact of these commitments long outlasts the grey flaking portraits that hang in the royal colleges.
To reach true equality lies paradoxically by challenging the largely unresearched gender role of men in society. Are men cardboard cut out figures: inarticulate, cold, aggressive, uncaring, incapable of loving or caring for their children? Is it time men be allowed and encouraged to emulate women's dual role? For this to happen, however, society and the profession need to tackle the "stereotype" of maleness and ditch some of the outdated assumptions that gender is a one way street.
Finally, women have helped "humanise" the medical profession. We should strive to have a profession dominated by doctors who care and not encourage more self obsessed and status driven applicants.
Des Spence, general practitioner
Glasgow G20 9DR destwo@yahoo.co.uk
Competing interests: None declared.
References
Heath I. Women in medicine: continuing unequal status of women may reduce the influence of the profession. BMJ 2004;329: 412-3. (21 August.)