Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/499233
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 22 APRIL 2015 7 News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ew doctors: women outnumbering men JAMES DEBONO THE medical profession is be- coming increasingly feminized as women outnumber men among new graduates. But women are more likely to be attracted to specialties such as paediatrics and obstetrics, where they have a more personal rela- tionship with patients. In a guest editorial published in the Malta Medical Journal, Prof. Joseph Cacciattolo – a consult- ant respiratory physician – notes that since 2004, more females than males started graduating in medicine, averaging around 52% per year, with a high of 62% in one particular year. The trend is likely to persist for at least the next five years because women prevail among the current student population. Women now make up 56% of the workforce in public health medi- cine, 50% in obstetrics/gynaecol- ogy, 42% in paediatrics and 25% of specialists in psychiatry. But women are significantly under- represented in all branches of surgery. According to Cacciattolo the gender-divide of medical special- ties in Malta follows the patterns in many other developed coun- tries. "In general, more women than men seek professional pursuits that provide people-oriented and comprehensive care, when choos- ing a career in medicine," he writes. One reason for this is that women may be more attracted to specialties that afford closer interpersonal relationships, "as it is possible that women are gener- ally more understanding in their approach to medical problems with strong social or emotional accents". But it is also likely that the wom- en are more attracted to certain specialties for more reasons like "f lexible yet predictable work- patterns often sought by working mothers" and the "avoidance of anti-social hours". According to Cacciattolo, Malta needs to discuss appropriate strat- egies to accommodate the increas- ing number of women doctors, which could include provision of more f lexible working arrange- ments and adequate crèche and child-minding facilities. The participation of women within the medical profession in Malta is relatively recent. Blanche Huber became the first woman to graduate in medicine, in 1925, but throughout her professional life she practised as a pharmacist. Between the years 1925 and 1982, only 33 women qualified in medicine from the University of Malta, whereas between 1983 and 2014, a total of 636 women quali- fied. Men are becoming less attracted to the medical profession. One reason cited by Cacciattolo for this phenomenon is boys' rela- tive educational underachieve- ment at secondary school level. Another reason could be that men are being increasingly attracted to careers in finance and IT, "as less arduous and shorter career paths, as well as a means of offer- ing more lucrative prospects ear- lier on in life." Teachers union appeals for immunisation against chickenpox MUT says that immunisation of educators in schools would be much less costly than doing nothing at all THE Malta Union of Teachers has appealed with the education min- ister to introduce immunisation for educators and pupils in order to prevent chickenpox. "Chickenpox is highly conta- gious and is easily transmitted. It occurs in outbreaks every year and in practically every school. It pos- es risks to pupils and adults alike. Moreover it is a condition which is a primary cause for concern for pregnant educators since it may have very serious consequences on the unborn baby," the MUT said. The MUT said that the fact that this concern is recurrent every year means that prevention can be planned in advance. "In this case, planning means that the short-term costs would be much lower than the long-term consequences of not planning at all, in which case educators end up on long stretches of sick leave, with direct consequences on the education and continuity of stu- dents. "Furthermore the risks and the costs for the government in rela- tion to pregnant educators – both the educator and the unborn child – are huge." The union said that while immunisation of the whole country would be highly expen- sive, the immunisation of educa- tors in schools would be much less costly than doing nothing at all in the long run. "The ministry, which is defi- nitely aware of this issue, and has already been advised on the same lines [should] act accordingly as soon as possible," the union said.