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NZ women in medicine face similar issues to Aus docs

study examining gender bias and other challenges faced by women in New Zealand’s senior medical workforce drills down into why female medical specialists work through illness at higher rates than their male counterparts, self-report as bullied at a higher rate and have significantly higher rates of burnout. 

 “Making up for being female’: Work-life balance, medical time and gender norms for women in the New Zealand senior medical workforce” was conducted by Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Director of Policy and Research Dr Charlotte Chambers. It is based on long-form interviews with 14 New Zealand doctors aged between 30-40. 

The study highlights many of the issues raised by doctors at the AMA Gender Equity Summit run in March this year. Summit participants recommended 9 key action areas” 

  1. Establish targets for gender diversity in representation and leadership. 
  1. Report and publish gender equity data. 
  1. Actively encourage women to apply for leadership roles. 
  1. Provide equitable access to leave entitlements for all genders. 
  1. Improve access and uptake of parental leave and flexible work and training arrangements for all genders. 
  1. Provide interstate portability of leave entitlements. 
  1. Implement transparent selection criteria and processes that disarm gender bias in entry into training and employment. 
  1. Provide access to breastfeeding facilities and childcare at exams, conferences and work. 
  1. Identify gender equity champions (and celebrate women in medicine). 

Read about the study 

Read about the AMA Gender Equity Summit 

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