Physician Gender Inequality

The issue of gender inequality among physicians is a topic that can frequently arise. Typically, when most people think of a doctor, a man is the image that they envision. Similarly when most people think of a nurse, the image they envision is a woman. The field of OB/GYN is among one of the first where female physicians are dominating the practice and it wasn’t always like this (3). Even as little as fifteen years ago, the majority of OB/GYN physicians were males (3). In most specialties, no major gender shifts have occurred and there isn’t equal representation of male and female physicians yet. It’s a nice change to see female physicians taking over a specialty; however, this gender shift conceals a larger issue at hand. The problems arise …show more content…
However, by no means are these patients intending to say that female physicians are better than male physicians in this area; it is more about comfort and less about superiority (1). Patients that do feel strongly about the issue may decline care from male physicians (1). These patients may have religious, cultural or even personal reasons why they don’t want intimate care from male physicians (1). Personally, if I was a physician and a patient requested a male physician, I would do my best to accommodate the patients request, maybe I could switch patients with a male physician. If for whatever reason, I was uncertain if I could accommodate the patient’s request, I would inform them that I’m doing everything I can to accommodate them, but that there might be an issue adhering to their preferences. I would assure the patient that if I had to continue the care myself, I would do everything to make them feel as comfortable as possible. If a patient requested a doctor of a different race I would tell him/her that under anti-discrimination laws I couldn’t accommodate that request and offer him/her to speak to my supervisor