IMO Survey on Gender Issues in Irish Medicine

IMO Survey on Gender Issues in Irish Medicine Discussion of gender-related issues faced by doctors in Irish medicine raised during 2016, particular those affecting female practitioners. All IMO members asked to respond to survey. Strong response rate of 519 doctors (316 female, 203 male). Survey results will feature as part of an IMO position paper on issues faced by female doctors in Ireland.

Bullying, Harassment, and Sexual Harassment The Medical Council’s Your Training Counts: Trainee Experiences of Clinical Learning Environments in Ireland 2015 shows that 35% of trainee doctors working in Ireland reported that they had been victims of bullying and harassment, while 46% said they had been the victims of undermining behaviour. Irish research that demonstrates workplace bullying in Ireland to be suffered more by women than men, with 10.7% of women reporting experiencing such behaviour, compared to 5.8% of men, across all sectors of employment (Bullying in the Workplace: Survey Reports, 2007, Economic and Social Research Institute).

Rates of Gender-Based Bullying, Gender-Based Harassment, and Sexual Harassment Experienced by Categories of Doctors during the Past Two Years Category of doctor % who reported experiencing gender-based bullying in the last two years % who reported experiencing gender-based harassment in the last two years % who reported experiencing sexual harassment in the last two years Total NCHDs 21% 26% 18% Male NCHDs 6% 15% 12% Female NCHDs 28% 31% Total Consultants 10% 9% 2% Male Consultants 7% 3% Female Consultants 13% 0% Total GPs 5% Male GPs 1% Female GPs 14% Total Community and Public Health 4% Male Community and Public Health Female Community and Public Health

How do you rate your ability to consistently perform all aspects of your clinical workload to a high standard, in comparison to your peers? Rating Female Male Excellent 17% 18% Above Average 48% 39% Average 32% 38% Below Average 2% 4% Poor 0% 1%

Do you believe that gender is a factor in doctors’ choice of specialty? Female Male Yes 88% 79% No 12% 21%

Gender and Specialty Choice Respondents to the IMO’s survey, when questioned on the factors they took into consideration when making their specialty choice, exhibited some clear gender distinctions. While a personal interest in the specialty was the most frequently cited consideration for both male and female NCHDs (59% to 56% respectively), female NCHDs were far more likely to mention work-life balance and job flexibility (33%) as a relevant consideration than their male counterparts (19%).

Responses on the Subject of Specialty Choice “Female doctors [are] opting out of specialties that do not allow enough time for raising a family. Females feel they have to choose either family or career goals in specialties like surgery.” “Women want to have families and the consultancies and the training especially for example for surgery are just physically impossible”. “I have been asked directly when I plan on having children: at a pre spr visit to a hospital I was asked by the head why should he give me the job ahead of a man who wouldn't be taking maternity leave at any stage on the training scheme.”

Have you ever been concerned about the impact that having children may have on your career in medicine? Female Male Yes 82% 39% No 18% 61%

Have you postponed having children for reasons related to your career in medicine? Female Male Yes 46% 19% No 54% 81%

Do you find it difficult to balance your medical workload with your commitments to your family? Female Male Yes 83% 73% No 17% 27%

Balancing Medical Workload and Family Commitments “I [was] told I should not prioritise my family or discuss them in work. . . There were times when I felt I had absolutely no support as a professional doctor and a mother and there was no recognition that one could affect the other.”

Do you believe that existing workplace supports adequately provide for an opportunity to balance your medical workload with your commitments to your family? Female Male Yes 16% 29% No 84% 71%

Have you ever been encouraged by anyone to apply for a consultant post Have you ever been encouraged by anyone to apply for a consultant post? (Consultants and NCHDs to whom question pertains) Female Male Yes 73% 84% No 27% 16%

Issues Identified by the Survey Female doctors’ experiences of gender-based bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment differ greatly from male doctors’ experiences, and must be addressed. Gender plays a role in specialty choices in medicine, with female practitioners more likely to prioritise family commitments and work- life balance. Family considerations often impact female practitioners to a greater extent and supports in this regard are considered inadequate by the majority of practitioners, male and female. The IMO will publish a position paper on the issues confronted by female doctors in the workplace later in 2017.