Female doctors advancing in China

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Dr. Meng is an Attending as a pulmonologist in the respiratory department at the 2nd Hospital of Hebei Medical University. In charge of 24+ patients or an entire floor on a given day, fellows, residents, and students, as well as research, teaching, and administrative duties, she is adept at balancing a busy schedule. She was recently invited to start and entirely new respiratory department as Chief at a new hospital across town. On top of her daily duties, she is now also meeting with equipment vendors, hiring staff, and overseeing the creation of a medical department that includes an ICU from scratch. She is quickly advancing to the top of her field. However, even she has her doubts about her fast-paced schedule, specifically because of her gender and family obligations. These are echoed by her peers, including the current Chief of her department despite strong support for her advancement.

Dr. Meng acknowledged in our conversation this evening that even if she worked harder, she would not be able to advance much higher. Despite this, a work schedule as an Attending or Department Head may inevitably cost time to spend with her pre-teen son. Even with help from a supportive yet also busy spouse (a surgeon at another hospital), family, and hired help, there are personal costs to being a busy professional, such as moments missed helping her son study or being consistently present during holidays. Just like in the US, these sacrifices still seem to be more acceptable for males than females advancing in medical careers.

How this gender imbalance changes in coming years will be gratifying to watch as an increasing number of medical student and residents are female in China and the US and progress to become Attendings and Heads of departments or entire healthcare organizations. For now, it is worth noting that for all of the differences in healthcare between the US and China, female professional advancement is fraught with the same challenges in both systems.

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Photos

Chief Resident Dr. Julia Park and Stanford team
3 of 4 females - the attending is still a male, so we have a ways to go, but Dr. Park is in her last year of residency on to a minimally invasive surgery fellowship for a year, then on to being an Attending herself!