Page 31 - Plasticos-Vol-3

V O L 3 2019 I S S U E

Notably there is also lack of women wing of the should search out for mentors according to
numerous plastic surgery associations of India. their professional aspirations. Mentor could
preferably be a female or a male supervisor
‘Surgery’ not too long ago was viewed as the who is sympathetic to women’s issues. Surgical
last bastion of ‘Male only Medicine’. While societies play an inimitable role in bringing
the trend has begun to change, we still have together eager students with high ambitions
a long way to go. The male: female ratio of and successful, experienced seniors. Hence it is of
students joining medical schools is around utmost importance to attend national meetings,
a healthy 1:1, but the ratio skews to 19:1 in join professional associations, and community
favour of men in the field of plastic surgery. organizations to seek role models and mentors.
Let’s dig deep into the factors causing this
imbalance and try to address each of them. Critical feedback plays a major role in boosting
a resident’s career. Men are likely to receive
Reasons that are often cited by women for advice on honing their skills and acquiring
losing interest in surgical field are- lack of additional talents, while women are often
female coworkers and role models, gender at the receiving end of personal criticism
discrimination, pregnancy and child care questioning their integrity. This is reflected on
concerns and poor work/life balance. a study which says male plastic surgeons gave
Women who choose to have a career in significantly more credits to mentorship for
plastic surgery have been trying to conform their success whereas females credited their
themselves into the ideal mold which was own hard work. We should adapt a light touch
conceived and built by men for men, which and respond with humor to the occasional
makes their journey tougher than their male denigrating comments while continuing to not
counterparts. Instead of battling to fit into lose our focus. At the same time, it is imperative
those molds, we should aim to break free. to report when faced with gender hostility.

Though explicit gender bias appears to have It is a well-known fact that the female
faded away, it is the implicit bias (described fertility peak coincides with surgical training.
as the complex interplay of cultural and Womanhood- which is viewed exclusively as
social expectations, learned behaviors, the ability to bear children and raise a family
and standardized adjectives leading to seems to be impeded with the protracted
unconscious gender bias) which is the root surgical training. Medical training programs
cause behind the inequality. The popular need to accommodate pregnancy and
‘Heidi and Howard study’ proves that the stop looking towards pregnancy as a lesser
male applicants with similar professional commitment to career. Rather, institutions
qualifications as the females are deemed should come up with childcare support systems.
more competent and hirable with higher
starting salary and are likely to have more Commitment to family- married female
mentoring opportunities. This is more than surgeons will have a dual career home, while
relevant in this male dominated field of surgery. nearly half of their male counterparts have
spouses who do not work outside home. Home
We all need a mentor to help us navigate care duties are presumed to be purely a woman’s
through the enduring training and to make job. This puts a strain on women’s work/life
our way to the top. Lack of mentorship could balance, which compels them to choose a career
leave one hustling aimlessly in this demanding path that allows for a better work/life balance.
and competitive field. Female trainees This is recapitulated in a study which quotes

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