Advances in Medical Education and Practice (Mar 2022)
Impediment to Leadership Opportunities for Female Doctors – Gender Disparity in Pakistani Healthcare System –SHORT REPORT
Abstract
Yusra Iqbal,1 Wajiha Khan,1 Mehwish Mooghal2,3 1Department of Surgery and Medicine, Dow University of Health and Sciences, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan; 2Department of Surgery, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan; 3Department of Surgery, Bahria University Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Sindh, PakistanCorrespondence: Yusra Iqbal, Tel +923343627273, Email [email protected]: Gender disparity, that is the unequal attitude and treatment of people due to their gender, is found in many fields including the medical profession. Not only it is present in developed countries but is also a major concern in developing countries like Pakistan. According to data, Pakistani female doctors face gender discrimination that negatively impacts their workplace performance and has proven to be a hindrance to them taking up leadership roles. The patriarchal mindset of society, workplace harassment, and lack of basic facilities in the hospital for working mothers are just a few of the factors that compel women to leave their careers. Even if they continue to work, women have to perform the duties of a mother and homemaker along with their jobs, and that negatively impacts their skills as doctors and as leaders. Efforts need to be taken to encounter all the problems that are negatively affecting leadership roles of female doctors such as providing equal opportunities, arranging awareness campaigns about creating a workplace environment that is favorable to all genders, and creating policies that will help working mothers by forming daycare centers and giving paid maternity leaves. This will help in alleviating the gender disparity in the healthcare system and will increase the chances of female doctors proving themselves good doctors and leaders.Keywords: gender inequality, authoritative position, healthcare system
