Gender Gap Between Male and Female Obstetrics and Gynecology - Essay Example

Gender gap between male and female ob-gynWhy there is gender gap in the section of gynecology According to Higham and Philip (2004), the gender gap between male and female obstetricians and gynecologists has been on the increase. This is brought about by several reasons including: less helpful midwives and male students performing poorly in examinations. The main reason however that causes this gap where male medical students do not venture in the area of obstetrics and gynecology is due to cultural issues which lead to unwelcoming attitudes from the female patients who do not like to be examined by a male doctor or have their gynecologists or obstetrician as a male.

This gender gap is not only in Britain but in the United States as well and hence making the gender gap continue to increase (Higham and Philip 142).Why it should not be there.Male as well as female medical students all receive the same kind of training in medical colleges on gynecological and obstetrician training and are therefore competent. This therefore means that female patients should not be afraid to be examined by the male doctors because they may even have more experience and expertise than some of the female ob-gyns when it comes to diagnosis and even treatment (Tseng and Jon Mark 17).

The lack of involvement or totally keeping male students out of this field of medicine shuts men out of women’s health issues including the issues on reproduction especially relating to contraceptive which should be a shared decision between men and women (Boulis and Jerry 154). There will also be a lack of gender equality which is being advocated for in society in all careers and also there will be a lack of future role models in the society. Work CitedBoulis, Ann and Jerry, Jacobs. The Changing Face of Medicine: Women Doctors and the Evolution of Health Care in America.

New York: Cornell University Press, 2010. Print.Higham, Jenny and Philip, Steer. “Gender gap in undergraduate experience and performance in obstetrics and gynecology: analysis of clinical experience logs.” British Medical Journal, Vol. 328, 2004.Tseng, Wen-Shing and Jon Mark, Streltzer. Cultural Competence in Health Care. New York: Springer, 2008. Print.