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• #She looks like a surgeon
  Emma Pedlar
  Published on: 20 February 2019

• Published on: 20 February 2019

  #She looks like a surgeon

  • Emma Pedlar, Core Surgical Trainee T&O Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust

  As an aspiring female plastic surgeon, this article makes compelling reading. Many of the experiences and options highlighted are representative of my experience so far in pursuing a surgical career. As with 88% of respondents I also feel that surgery is a male dominated career and have experienced discrimination. In F1, my general surgical consultant scoffed at my intention to become a surgeon and when I looked indignant called me a "difficult woman" accompanied by sniggers from the male registrar. More often it is patients who do not recognise me as a surgeon, being routinely addressed as nurse or asking when they were going to see the doctor despite introducing myself or whilst wearing a lanyard with DOCTOR written all over it. Even other doctors have assumed that the plastic surgeon will be a male, for example addressing referral letters ‘dear sir’. I have found it frustrating that my male colleagues do not experience the same attitude, and felt pressure to prove myself as good as the men.

  However there have been several encouragements for me as a trainee surgeon. Despite some of the comments of consultants in my foundation years, the vast majority of consultants in Core Surgical Training have been supportive and I haven't felt disadvantaged compared to my male counterparts. The British Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (BAPRAS) has recently launched a pilot project called the Juggling Club. This initiative has been introduced by...

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  As an aspiring female plastic surgeon, this article makes compelling reading. Many of the experiences and options highlighted are representative of my experience so far in pursuing a surgical career. As with 88% of respondents I also feel that surgery is a male dominated career and have experienced discrimination. In F1, my general surgical consultant scoffed at my intention to become a surgeon and when I looked indignant called me a "difficult woman" accompanied by sniggers from the male registrar. More often it is patients who do not recognise me as a surgeon, being routinely addressed as nurse or asking when they were going to see the doctor despite introducing myself or whilst wearing a lanyard with DOCTOR written all over it. Even other doctors have assumed that the plastic surgeon will be a male, for example addressing referral letters ‘dear sir’. I have found it frustrating that my male colleagues do not experience the same attitude, and felt pressure to prove myself as good as the men.

  However there have been several encouragements for me as a trainee surgeon. Despite some of the comments of consultants in my foundation years, the vast majority of consultants in Core Surgical Training have been supportive and I haven't felt disadvantaged compared to my male counterparts. The British Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (BAPRAS) has recently launched a pilot project called the Juggling Club. This initiative has been introduced by PLASTA, the plastic surgery trainee’s association to change the culture in plastic surgery and recognise that we are plastic surgeons AND a parent, carer, sportsperson, artist, researcher etc. Launched at the BAPRAS Winter Scientific Meeting the Juggling Club gave space for personal testimonies and a way to find support with balancing a surgical career and the other interests or aspects of life which fill up our time. Several female consultants including Sarah Pape and Tania Cubison shared their experiences and proved inspiring role models. This may be a platform to help change the negative perception that LTFT attracts (as 30% of respondents in the article felt). I was encouraged that the trainee’s association was seeing this as a priority and that although many of the issues particularly related to women, there could be many reasons to join the Juggling club.

  As a member of the Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF), several surgically minded female friends and I set up a Women in Surgery WhatsApp group, as a space to share advice, find support and encourage one another. Our group now has over 50 members from medical students to consultants and women have often posted about things they have found difficult, to be met by advice and wisdom by fellow members. I have found it an invaluable mentoring resource and it has proved a brilliant way of networking within specialities or regions. This is another way like the ASGBI Facebook group that social media can be utilised to facilitate education and share ways of overcoming barriers.

  My impression is that surgery is slowly becoming more female friendly, as people recognise that misogynistic views are no longer acceptable. There will be variation amongst the specialities, and women will always face challenges balancing motherhood and a surgical career. At times it is a challenge not to be discouraged, however following in the footsteps of many inspiring female surgeons I will wear my (liberty print) scrub cap with pride as #I look like a surgeon.

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  Conflict of Interest:
  None declared.

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