The feminization of the medical profession in Israel

Abstract

Two factors have caused major changes in the gender composition of the Israeli medical profession in recent years: (i) a wave of immigration from the former USSR, which increased the doctor population by approximately 70% and which included a majority of women physicians, and (ii) the entry of more Israeli women into medical school. This report presents the current gender status of the Israeli medical profession, regarding students and physicians, and the choice of medical specialty and academic seniority, and compares gender differences in Israel with those in other countries. Traditional patterns of specialization persist in Israel, with women still concentrated in primary care (family medicine, paediatrics and psychiatry). In addition, women still face obstacles in entering the more prestigious (mainly surgical) specialties. Whilst the number of women in academic medicine has increased over the last decade, women are still concentrated in the lowest echelons of academic medicine. However, the steady trend towards the feminization of medicine will inevitably lead to an increase of women in all areas of the medical profession. Because cross-cultural studies have repeatedly revealed that women doctors have a more humanistic and personalized approach to patient care, a higher ratio of women in the profession should have a qualitative effect in this direction, despite the bureaucratic and fiscal constraints incumbent upon practising doctors. As more women become role models for medical students, their approach will influence the education of the doctors of the future.

Demographics and motives of medical school applicants in Croatia

“…The majority of applicants were women, which is in line with multiple reports on so-called feminization of medicine (Notzer & Brown 1995;Paik 2000;Thomas 2000).…”

Career obstacles for women in medicine: an overview

“…Reports from western industrialized countries have shown an increase in the percentage of women entering medical school (e.g. references 17–19), and in some countries women entrants outnumber men; 17 , 20 –22 The large proportion of women applying to and being accepted by medical schools provides evidence of equal access 23 . The most recent data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) 24 reveals that the proportion of women applicants to US medical schools has plateaued; 44% of new entrants in the 1998–99 academic year were women.…”

A Snapshot of Pulmonary Medicine at the Turn of the Century

“…The lower success rates of women in scaling the academic ladder are similar to other reports the majority of respondents preferred mail as the method of communication. As Internet use continues to grow at a record of women physicians and women scientists (6,(19)(20)(21)(22)(23). A cohort study of medical school graduates showed that women pursue pace (25), it will be important to determine whether electronic communication is embraced by more members over time.…”