From the time of Hygeia in ancient Greece to present day, women have had a significance influence on the practice of medicine. The number of women in medical school does not equate with the number of women in higher academic positions, such as deans of medical schools or heads of departments. For those women who wish to climb the academic ladder, there are many obstacles along the way, including the lack of female mentors. On the other hand, many women doctors feel that there is no discrimination, as they are busy balancing home and work and are quite happy to keep their head above water with their required day to day activities. Regarding gender-related differences in health and healthcare, a past Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, once said that no country treats their women the same as they treat their men. This is often more readily apparent in the developing countries, where family resources dictate that boys will receive medical care and girls will not. Reproductive health is another example of gender related differences in health care. In 2009, women are still being denied skilled care during pregnancy, labor and delivery because they cannot access appropriate medical care. In sub-Saharan Africa, the cause is often lack of transportation to the medical facility whereas in the U.S., it is the lack of medical insurance. Regarding gender-related inequalities in the medical profession, the biggest change has been in the number of women in medical school. In the developed world, female medical students equal if not surpass the number of male medical students. This has already changed the way medicine is practiced, as women have demanded a better work-life balance. With this improvement in working conditions comes the danger of the profession becoming a Pink Collar profession, where the female predominance equates to lack of influence. One of MWIA’s jobs is to ensure that there are enough women in leadership roles to ensure that medicine continues to have the ability to influence policy makers and advocate for those in need of health care. MWIA has recently spoken out about osteoporosis, to help improve women’s awareness of the condition that predisposes them to major life changes.

Source: http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/2009/03/03/confronting-medical-issues-for-women/