The Transformation of Women Physicians in Modern Medicine

The role of women physicians in medicine traces back to ancient history. For centuries, women physicians have made great efforts in sustaining their practice in the medical field. While women physicians today are increasingly represented in the medical profession, they continue to be underrepresented in academic medicine and face significant barriers in professional advancement. The reason for gender disparity is multidimensional and may be explained from cultural, social, and economic perspectives. Yet, mounting evidence support that having more women physicians appears to promote high-quality patient care and improve patient outcome, emphasizing the importance of gender equity for advancement in medicine. Achieving gender equity must begin from recognition of the issue, education of the public, and policy changes that mitigate bias, towards inclusion and diversity.