History of Women in Medicine
Women were formally banned from practising medicine and surgery in the UK during the rule of King Henry VIII in the 16th century. Three hundred years later, the Enabling Act of 1876 and Universities (Scotland) Act of 1889 allowed the first women to enter into higher education. The First and Second World Wars then necessitated an increase in women doctors but for many decades women remained underrepresented in medicine. In 2017 however 57.5% of medical graduates were female.
In Aberdeen
Following the 1889 Universities (Scotland) Act women were able to matriculate although it was not compulsory. The University of Aberdeen only permitted women to matriculate in 1892. Despite the change there were no facilities in place for women so they made some of their own, e.g. the Women’s Medical Society. In the medical school it was decided that provisions would be made for women if and when they applied.
Aberdeen’s first five female medical students were Myra Mackenzie, Jeannie C Macleod, Margaret Duncan, Isabella Kerr (nee Gunn) and Isabella Copland Smith. They graduated over 100 years ago after centuries of women’s exclusion from the profession. These pioneers faced issues such as maternal mortality, mental illness and the ongoing fight for gender equality all of which are pertinent matters today. While gender equality is improving, further work is needed to make medicine more accessible to students from non-traditional backgrounds to ensure the profession fairly and equally represents the society it cares for.
Today
In the UK in 2017 57.5% of medical students were female and women made up 47% of the medical workforce. However women still earn 29% less than their male counterparts and have slower career progression. Women are also underrepresented in certain specialities e.g. surgery. This is believed to be due to more women working part-time than men and has led to a stigma where women are not considered ‘proper doctors’ if they choose to take time off to have a family. More support is therefore needed for women doctors e.g. adequate childcare.
Widening Participation
Women’s representation in medicine has increased however students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are still underrepresented. The high status of the medical profession is thought to be a deterrent to school pupils. The selection criteria and application process also tend to favour students from fee-paying schools. Currently all UK medical schools must have an outreach programme but more standardised and centralised methods of identifying students from widening access backgrounds are needed.
Careers for Women Doctors Today
While the medical profession overall now has relatively equal proportions of men and women the divide in specialities still exists. In 2017, 50% of doctors in public health, paediatrics and obstetrics & gynaecology were female but made up only 12% of surgeons. Women are also still underrepresented in academic medicine and occupy fewer senior roles which has been attributed to a lack of spousal support. However progress has been made: in 2017, eight of the medical colleges were led by women and the Chief Medical Officers of England and Scotland were both female.
Doctors are human too
Mental Health
The prevalence of mental illness in medical students and doctors is higher than the general population. Suicide in physicians has been noted as higher than the general population as early as 1858. At present, suicide in female doctors is up to 127% higher than the general population while female medical students experience high rates of psychological distress. Sadly Jeannie MacLeod’s death acts as a reminder of this endemic problem within the medical profession.
Maternal Mortality
Margaret Duncan died of “cardiac failure”. This cause of cardiac failure is unclear. However, cardiac disease remains the leading indirect cause of maternal mortality today. Improvements in joint cardiac and obstetric care have been called for.
Conclusion
Aberdeen’s first five female medical students graduated over 100 years ago after centuries of women’s exclusion from the profession. These pioneers faced issues such as maternal mortality, mental illness and the ongoing fight for gender equality all of which are pertinent matters today. While gender equality is improving, further work is needed to make medicine more accessible to students from non-traditional backgrounds to ensure the profession fairly and equally represents the society it cares for.
Page prepared from a summer project by two third year medical students looking into the lives and careers of the first five female medical graduates and the issues they faced. Many of the issues they encountered are still relevant today, such as: mental illness, maternal mortality, careers of women in medicine and widening participation.
Authors: Rosannah Jackson and Claire Repper
Supervisors: Prof Rona Patey, Dr Leeanne Bodkin, Dr Marion White
Institute for Education in Medical and Dental Sciences
Summer Medical Education Project, University of Aberdeen
Summer 2018
