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Female surgeons

Female surgeons remain rare even in the 21st century. Historically women in most countries were actively prevented or discouraged from becoming doctors, still less taking up the more difficult speciality of surgery.^{[citation needed]}

Even though in many medical schools female students equal or outnumber male students, very few of the former go on to qualify as surgeons.^{[citation needed]} Reasons given for women not becoming surgeons today include the difficulty of combining this profession with motherhood, as surgeons traditionally keep long and irregular hours.^{[citation needed]}

In addition surgery was seen as a tough, macho occupation unsuitable for the supposedly delicate sensibilities of women.^{[citation needed]}

Further, in order to qualify as a surgeon one must study and work for many years before qualifying, years which for a woman include the prime child-bearing years.

However,in some countries recent changes to the way surgeons work have made the balance between family life and work easier for female (and male) surgeons to manage. These include measures to reduce the long work hours traditionally demanded of surgeons.

Prominent female surgeons include: Fiona Wood, burns specialist, Grace Warren, leprosy specialist, and Virginia Apgar, who invented the Apgar score for newborn babies.

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Female surgeons

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References

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