Gender Inequalities that Hinder the Professional Growth of Female Doctors and Trainees

Abstract

Madam, Gender inequality is defined as inequality regarding sex or gender in which one sex or gender is consistently preferred or emphasised above other. Gender disparity is thought to have existed for countless years, with women supposed to be providers at home while men anticipated as leaders with professions outside the home. (1) Implicit biases have an adverse effect on women's careers in medicine and contribute to imposter syndrome, exhaustion, underrepresentation in leadership roles, income inequality, poorer advancement, and less favourable reviews. Gender bias in the promotion process or in the ladder for progression may be a factor for the slower development of women in academic medicine, with fewer women at each succeeding level of career promotion. Men, for example, earn more honours from professional medical associations, whereas women obtain less opportunities to talk at large conferences. According to a 2014 poll of 1066 physicians who received career advancement awards, 66% of women and about 10% of men reported personal gender bias. (1)