M.D. Today is a good time to be a woman in medicine. The rise in female doctors has brought increased attention, research and dollars to women's health issues. It was less than ten years ago when people were embarrassed to talk about breast cancer. Now, it is a regular topic on the news, in the movies and around the dinner table. Gone are the days in which female physicians were automatically mistaken for nurses.
Research also shows that women often prefer women doctors.
This trend has resulted in increased demand for female physicians. Gains are being realized in other specialties as well. A study published in the Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine reported that female pediatricians' visits with patients were 29 percent longer than visits with male pediatricians. Women's traditional social conditioning translates well to the examination room. The women doctors in the study were shown to spend more time in social exchange, encouragement and reassurance than their male colleagues.