Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Beating all the odds and breaking all the barriers, women in the field of medicine have not only created a niche for themselves but now are also heading towards outnumbering their male counterparts.
While they have already outsmarted their male counterparts in the state’s biggest government medical college, the number of female doctors has grown relatively significantly in the last five years and they may leave behind male practitioners in MP’s medical hub in about a decade.
As per the data with Indian Medical Association, Indore and MGM Medical College, the rise of more than 20 per cent in women's participation in the last five years is indicative of a broader societal shift towards inclusivity and gender equality.
Historically, the medical profession has been predominantly male-dominated, with women facing various barriers to entry and advancement.
However, recent years have seen a tangible break from this trend, marked by a substantial rise in the number of women pursuing and succeeding in medical careers.
“There are more than 30 per cent women medical practitioners registered with us. We have about 2,571 members in Indore out of which 791 are women. The number has increased by nearly 20 per cent in the last five years,” Dr Anil Bhadoria, president IMA, Indore, said.
Similarly, MGM Medical College dean Dr Sanjay Dixit said the rise in number signifies a diversification of the healthcare workforce. He also underscored the recognition of women's invaluable contributions to the medical field.
“In the late 70s, there were only 20-30 women in the UG batch in MGM Medical College. Now, there are over 150 women in the batch of 250 students,” Dixit said.
’I can’t’ is not in my dictionary: Rao
Dr Sarita Rao had broken the glass ceiling in the field of medicine by becoming the first interventional cardiologist of Central India. She was the only woman in the batch of DM Cardiology in 1998 and had taken up the challenge to break the mindset that ‘women can’t do it’.
“I was told that I can’t’ make it but that phrase was not in my dictionary. It was challenging as the cardiology field is male-dominated but I achieved my goal with full grit and determination. Many a time, I had to take my six-month-old daughter with me during emergency calls. After a struggle and fight for more than 20 years, I have created a niche and now with my organisation Women in Cardiology (WIC), we are supporting all the women in the field.”
Govt Dental College sees first woman principal in Dr Jain
Dr Sandhya Jain has become the first woman principal of Government Dental College in 60 years of its history. She was among the few women in the batch of MDS in 1987 and had decided to become the torchbearer for getting more women in the field.
“There were only four women in my batch who had opted for dentistry. It was challenging to create a space in the field but I had decided to follow the rule ‘Do or Die’. Now, the time has changed and there are about 70 per cent women in the batch in my college,” Dr Jain added.
What men in apron say about female counterparts
Over 60% in a batch are women
“We have a batch of 250 UG students in MGM Medical College and over 60 per cent of them are women. Many of the HoDs in our departments are women. Now, sky is the limit for women.”
Dr Sanjay Dixit
MGM Medical College
Indore
IMA promotes women participation
“We promote women's participation in the field of medicine. The number has increased by more than 20 per cent in last five years and the coin has completely flipped compared to about two decades ago.”
Dr Anil Bhadoria
President, IMA-Indore
Happy to see increasing participation of women
“We have seen a complete transformation in the field as far as women participation is concerned. Not only the number but confidence of patients towards women medicos is also increasing. In 1979, there were only four women in our batch. Now, over 60 per cent are women which is an achievement for the society as well.”
Dr Sanjay Londhe
Former president IMA, Indore
