Are there too many women in medicine?

[cherrypie]

Have been reading about the lack of women being put forward as Sport's Personalities and then cam across this.

In the UK women Doctors are set to outnumber their mail counterparts by 2017.

The press has dubbed this as "worrying" and "bad for medicine".

I can accept that it is worrying as we need to encourage as many first class Doctors as possible and know the reasons why men are not taking up this career.

As for being bad for medicine, that is where I find it difficult to agree. I don't care which gender a Doctor is as long as they are good at their job
.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-women-medicine.html

 

[Copepod]

I quite agree about not caring what sex (or colour or sexuality or anything else) a doctor is, as long as they're a good doctor. Actually, I choose to see one of the two male GPs at my practice o nthe very rare occasions I need to see a GP, rather than either of the two women, as I know both women as colleagues in different locations - they both joined the practice after I'd registered and I don't want to change as its location and ethos are very good.

The only issue is that women are more likely than men to take time off to have children and to want to work part time afterwards - so a given number of trained women doctors doesn't equal the same number of FTE (Full Time Equivalent) posts as the same number of men.

 

[Northerner]

My GP is female and she is wonderful. I find it easier to talk to her than her male counterparts at the surgery. When I was in hospital the vast majority of doctors who attended to my various ailments were male, as were the student doctors who trailed along behind them! 🙂

 

[Robster65]

AT our practice, I prefer to see the woman doctor. She's more likely to listen and is straightforward in her approach. A couple of the male doctors seem to have lost interest in what they're doing.

As said, gender is largely irrelevant. Some people feel embarassed about certain things and want to see their own gender but medically they are either good, bad or mediocre.

Rob