Women in medicine: still a long way to go, baby.
No doubt about it, women have come a long way in the medical profession. The average female enrollment in our nation's medical schools is 42% and growing. Women physicians are entering more non-traditional fields and are running successful practices. They're working to change attitudes and overcome obstacles that have traditionally barred them from thriving in such a demanding field. They're getting creative with options that allow them to pursue their dream while raising a family. But the bars are still up on some windows, namely the ones that peek into the halls of organized medicine. Professional organizations and medical schools are still largely run by men. The Tennessee Medical Association recognizes the discrepancy and is working to make some changes. TMA's Executive Assistant for Membership Services Phyllis Franklin says leadership is rethinking the entire structure of the Association in the light of changing demographics. "We're looking at younger physicians, minorities, female physicians, academicians, and students; we want to get them involved in organized medicine," she says. The leadership structure is one area that is slowly changing. Franklin admits while the hierarchy has been male-dominated, the Association can now claim its first female vice president, Dr. Phyllis Miller of Chattanooga. "We don't have a lot of women leaders, but it's getting better, and there are a lot more opportunities in the committee structure." TMA officials say surveys are forthcoming that will help them gauge the needs and wants of its female membership and hopefully increase further that 11% number, up from 8.9% two years ago. In the meantime, Franklin encourages women physicians to make their wishes known. "Instead of not joining the TMA because of perceived barriers or stumbling blocks, we would certainly prefer that they help us identify obstacles and give us the opportunity to do what we can to make membership more appealing," she says. "This Association is truly for all physicians."
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D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D010822:Physicians, Women; D011364:Professional Practice; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D013337:Students, Medical