The Challenges of Being a Woman in Medicine

A Latin american female doctor sitting at the table and working by computer at hospital office represents the modern face of the physician or therapist. However, behind this image of health care, medicine and patient service concept lies a complex reality. A friend recently asked me to give a pre-med student some advice about a career in medicine. That request made me think about the one thing I most wish someone had told me about: the challenges of being a woman in medicine.

Implicit Bias and Daily Patient Interactions

One issue I often encounter is being mistaken for a non-physician staff member. I used to gently correct these errors and continue on with my day, but such interactions aren’t rare. For example, last week, I spent 75 minutes with a new patient and, after we had discussed his assessment and treatment plan, he asked to “speak with a physician.” Last month, a different patient told me he preferred male physicians because he felt he could “trust them more.”

I had been taking care of a pleasant elderly gentleman who was in the hospital after a leg amputation. It’s not uncommon for patients to meet several physicians during a hospital stay, so I re-introduced myself. “Hello,” I said. “I’m Dr. Julia Reilly.” I didn’t expect his response: “Oh. I’ve been picturing Dr. Reilly as a strong, male doctor.” I’m not sure why that was my “tipping point,” but it was. Each time I’m not recognized as a doctor, or a patient dismisses my advice in favor of a male physician’s, I question myself.

The Psychological Impact: Impostor Syndrome

Much attention has been drawn to “impostor syndrome,” a phenomenon characterized by feelings of self-doubt and fear of being discovered as an intellectual fraud. Imposter syndrome is troubling for various reasons. One is that it is highly associated with burnout, and is the strongest predictor of psychological distress among medical, nursing, and dental students. I’m not surprised that women in medicine demonstrate higher levels of impostor syndrome than their male colleagues.

Structural Obstacles and Workforce Disparities

Perhaps these feelings of self-doubt are responses to the obstacles that women in medicine face. In reporting from the frontiers of health and medicine, several key disparities have been identified. The following list outlines significant barriers found within the profession:

• Leadership Gaps: A dearth of women physicians holding top department leadership positions.
• The Gender Pay Gap: Ongoing workforce disparities regarding compensation.
• Recognition Inequity: Being underrepresented as recipients of recognition awards from medical societies.
• Overlapping Barriers: Hurdles that are even more profound for those who are also facing other challenges, such as having a disability or being a person of color.

The Importance of Mentorship and Dialogue

Until this year, I had not discussed my experiences with implicit (unconscious) bias or workforce disparities with any of the medical students I had mentored. Yet these discussions are an essential part of medical education. I have been fortunate to be mentored by an experienced physician who has kept open an honest dialogue with me about the nearly universal hurdles that women physicians face today. With my mentor’s guidance, I have become more educated about diversity and inclusion and therefore feel more empowered and prepared to succeed in academic medicine. I have also become more vocal about my experiences as a female physician.