Gender, Careers and Inequalities in Medicine and Medical Education

Gender is an essential determinant of health and illness. Medicine is said to be 'male biased' because the largest body of knowledge on health and illness is about men and their health. Gender role ideology negatively influences treatment and health outcomes. Gender inequality has been overlooked as a determinant of health and illness. The uptake of gender issues in medical education brings about specific challenges for several reasons. In addition to gender bias in the investigation and treatment of patients gender bias occurs in medical education, professional careers, and in medical research as well. Analyses of medical textbooks, curricula, and education material and examination questions have revealed stereotypical gender patterns and even open patriarchal views. Gender awareness in doctors contributes to equity and equality in health and aims towards better health for men and women. Nevertheless, gender has largely been ignored in medicine. Gender equity is not a spontaneous process. Medical education provides specific opportunities that may contribute to transformation for medical schools educate future doctors for future patients in future settings. Consequently, future benefits legitimize the integration of gender as a qualitative investment in medical education. Gender, Careers and Inequalities in Medicine and Medical Education explores the studies focused on the inequalities and restrictions faced by women as they entered the medical profession. Women remain under-represented in leadership positions in both clinical medicine and medical education, despite a rapid increase in the proportion of women in the medical profession. This volume also explore potential reasons for this under-representation and how it can be ameliorated, drawing on a range of international literatures, theories and practices. Knowledge about biological differences between women and men will not reduce bias caused by gendered stereotypes or by unawareness of health problems and discrimination associated with gender inequity. Such bias reflects unawareness of gendered attitudes and will not change by facts only. This volume suggests consciousness-rising activities and continuous reflections on gender attitudes among students, teachers, researchers and decision-makers.