On this day, 1849, elizabeth blackwell She became the first woman in the world to complete medical studies. 175 years later, and although it seemed unimaginable at the time, medicine today is growing to such an extent that it has become a profession dominated by women. For this reason every 11th February World Women’s Day in Medicine In form of Women and girls in sciencewhich has the functions of dissemination and visibility All over the planet.
Specifically, according to the latest data from INE corresponding to 2022, the percentage of women doctors registered in Spain was 53.4%, A figure that increases every year, as revealed by a report prepared by the ministry universitiesof 43,561 Those who have studied Medicine in the 2022/2023 academic year 70.6% They were female and only 29.4% were male. Furthermore, these data represent a 5% degree feminization increase Regarding the 2015/2016 academic year.
“We are advancing in all areas of society, but medicine is still a bastion that is still in the hands of men”
However, despite this contradictory establishment of women as leaders of the medical profession, positions of authority They are still dominated by men. Between 2019 and 2021, 61% of field specialist physicians in National Health System hospitals were women… while only 37 and 28% worked Section or Service Head, respectively. like that, Only ten regional medical colleges There were more women than men on their board of directors.
All these data are a reliable reflection that, The higher the position, the less will be the representation of women. In this. Thus, in the same way, although in respect of the highest positions Associate and Full Professors are the majority medical schoolThe number of male professors is twice that of women, which They barely represent 32%, The percentage becomes even lower in the case of dean, the highest position that can be reached and in which women are represented. It does not reach 25%.
Carmen Gallardo and her commendable work for women in Spanish universities
Dr. Carmen Gallardo Pino was one of them King Juan Carlos University For ten years, during which he fought as vice president National Conference of Deans of Medical Schools, for the visibility of women in both the medical field, health care and teaching. She is one of the authors of the above report, thanks to which we have been able to obtain data on the presence of women doctors in management positions in hospitals, regional colleges and universities. On a general level, she explains, she was the first woman to become a dean in Spain. Alyssa Perez, from UNED. He did this in 1982…when the universities were they had been gone for centuries Settled in our country.
“When I arrived in 2013, there was not a single female dean in the medical faculties of Madrid’s public universities”
“In fact, when I came in 2013, there was no dean In the medical faculties of the public universities of Madrid. Several years later, Alcalá joined and in 2023 also became autonomous,” recalls Gallardo Pino. The former vice president of the National Conference of Deans of Medical Schools refers, in particular, to Lourdes Lledo Garcia, Dean of University of Alcala from 2020 to 2023 and the study’s co-authors; already pilar lopezWho, like most of her colleagues when she took over late last year, became First female dean in history From the Faculty of Medicine of the Autonomous University of Madrid.
“I think that This is a big step. I face it with enthusiasm and with the responsibility of becoming a leader so that other women can also walk on the same path and Reduce the gap in positions of responsibility, That it’s not just a men and women thing terms of reconciliation Or if they don’t see us ready, we won’t be able to reach those positions,” Pilar López said in an interview with ConSalud.es in December. “Generally we are making progress in all areas of society, but medicine is still a bastion that is still mostly in the hands of men. I think that There’s no turning back“He added.
“We are talking about universities, one of the places where there should be the least inequality.”
Carmen Gallardo Pino had been working in management positions at Rey Juan Carlos University for some time before becoming dean, so she has been able Follow these developments closely As I mentioned pilar lopez, “They don’t have any reverse gear.” “In these past twenty years, I have I have seen a significant change In this, women are taking on more responsibilities. but pay attention to that We are talking about universities, One of the places where this should happen the least, because we all enter through the same way. And yet, it happens,” he comments.
Thus, Gallardo Pino concludes, There is still a long way to go, For example, when adjusting work-life balance and salary supplements for time worked at universities. “Men and women We all have the same fee, More will be missing. But the further your teaching career progresses, the more you earn over a six-year period as a supplement to the departments you work in… and also to publications. we women always lose thereBecause when we are mothers we have less time and because we are the ones Historically we have been dedicated to caring“, he concluded.