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| ASSEMBLY EDITION • ORLANDO, FLA |
At a Wonca meeting 21 years ago, May Cohen, M.D., of Toronto posed this question to a Wonca speaker: How will increasing the number of women in family medicine affect patient care?
 How should women family physicians respond to dismissive comments about taking time off to raise a family? May Cohen, M.D., says, "You have to recognize there are still some dinosaurs around. You've gotta fight." |
The reply? "The speaker stated he didn't understand the meaning or relevance of my question," said Cohen, presenter of the Wonca 2004 plenary session "Women Physicians as Leaders in Tomorrow's Health Care" Tuesday.
"In ensuing decades, I believe we all have come to agree women have made a difference to our specialty," said Cohen.
With more women in family medicine than ever before, the question that should be asked today, said Cohen, is why the number of women leaders is not proportional to the gender composition of the specialty. Cohen is professor emeritus in the family medicine department at McMaster University, Toronto,
Cohen cited barriers to women seeking leadership roles, including sexism, gender roles and the scarcity of effective mentors. She pointed out that while there don't appear to be gender differences in self-assessed leadership ability or aspirations to hold leadership positions, women are much less likely to be asked to serve in leadership positions.
Women FPs have championed issues central to the practice of family medicine, issues that include drawing attention to the impact of domestic violence on women's health; addressing the negative consequences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and discrimination; and advocating the reproductive rights of both men and women, said Cohen. Women have also taken the lead in pressing for physicians to seek a balanced lifestyle.
Cohen said women need equal access to leadership roles because "the strengths that both men and women bring to our specialty are a keystone to our health system."
Wonca can assist in this effort to promote women leaders by identifying barriers, providing mentoring opportunities and offering leadership training, said Cohen.
She also said educating Wonca members about the need for women leaders is crucial "so that all members of Wonca recognize, acknowledge, understand and combat gender bias, sexual discrimination and harassment." The focus can't be just on problems of women - the attitudes of men must be changed as well, Cohen added..
And, she concluded, "If we want more women in leadership positions, leaders of the organizations must recognize the importance of seeking out these women, nurturing them and providing role models."
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Copyright © 2003 by American Academy of Family Physicians.