More support needed for women in medicine

While the number of women registered as doctors has increased in recent decades, women are still significantly less likely to be seen in senior appointments and leadership roles, the president of the Medical Council has said.

Almost 30 years ago, women made up just 30% of the medical workforce in Ireland. This had risen to 41% 10 years ago and today, women make up 46% of doctors in Ireland. This increases to 52% in the 20-35 age group.

However, according to Dr Suzanne Crowe, while the number of women entering medicine has been rising each year, “this increase is slow to be seen in appointments at a senior level and across different specialties”.

“There is still inequity in terms of training opportunities and career progression. While female doctors should expect equal treatment with their male counterparts, employers and training bodies must also take into account the necessity to allow a work-life balance for all,” Dr Crowe said.

She insisted that women working in medicine need “more equitable supports and flexibility”.

“It needs to be more family friendly and more accommodating to the challenges facing women in medicine and others with caring responsibilities. These changes would not just support female doctors, but all doctors, and most importantly, the patients they care for."

“While I am president of the Medical Council, I am also trying to maintain a work-life balance of being a mother, while also working as a paediatric intensivist. We need to recognise the individual needs of those within the workforce that may be juggling a career while also being a mother, carer, spouse,” Dr Crowe explained.

She said that the “unequal impact of caring responsibilities on women” can be an obstacle to career progression and this is why there are not as many women in leadership roles.

“There’s a brave new world continuing to emerge that will hopefully improve equity across the spectrum of the medical profession. All bodies and agencies involved in healthcare delivery, policy and advocacy need to be more cognisant of the importance of equity and equality, diversity, inclusion and work-life balance in their work.

“Only by all of us playing our part both individually and by working together, will we in turn have a stronger health system leading to improved patient outcomes,” she emphasised.

The Medical Workforce Intelligence Report, which is published annually by the Medical Council, highlights that a number of doctors voluntarily leave the Medical Council register each year due to family reasons. Many of these are women who feel that being a mother and caring for a family can make it difficult to maintain a good work-life balance. 

In particular, maternity leave and the demands of balancing both home and medical professional practice, which can involve long working hours, have been cited as reasons for leaving the register.

“Tackling these issues will be a legacy that is meaningful for the next generation of patients and doctors of all genders and the workplace as a whole,” Dr Crowe added.

She made her comments on International Women’s Day (March 8).