BMA publishes sexism in medicine report

The British Medical Association (“BMA”) have published a report presenting the findings from the sexism in medicine survey.

The results of the survey, as stated by the BMA, demonstrate that there are significant steps needed to achieve gender equality in medicine, with many continuing to view medicine as a male profession. The survey has also shown that women are disproportionately affected by sexism and gender bias, with many of the institutional factors that accompany a medical career disadvantaging women and resulting in them working in an environment that consistently undervalues them and doubts their capabilities.

The report also states that sexism in medicine is having a negative impact on women’s long-term career progression, and also causing problems in their day-to-day working lives. This is a result of a culmination of issues, although the main drivers of sexism reported by respondents were structural and institutional factors.

Key findings from the survey:

• 91% of women respondents had experienced sexism at work within the past two years
• 84% of all respondents said there was an issue of sexism in the medical profession
• 74% of all respondents think that sexism acts as a barrier to career progression
• 42% of all respondents who witnessed or experienced an issue relating to sexism in the past two years chose not to raise it with anyone
• 61% of women felt they were discouraged to work in a particular speciality because of their gender, with 39% going on to not work in that speciality
• 70% of women respondents felt that their clinical ability had been doubted or undervalued because of their gender
• 31% of women respondents experienced unwanted physical conduct in the workplace
• 56% of women respondents had received unwanted verbal conduct relating to their gender

The BMA wishes to work to find solutions to combat gender inequality in the medical profession.

Please click here to read the report.

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