sexism in medicine

One of my students told me that one of her classmates was told by a surgeon, upon hearing that she wanted kids, that she shouldn’t become a surgeon.  I must admit surprise, because I rather thought that even if they privately thought that, they’d know enough to lie.

I found out from reading Heart Failure: Diary of a Third Year Medical Student (which I couldn’t stop reading once I started) about my new hero: an indexer of Williams Obstetrics in the seventies.

On page 940 in the index of the 15th edition of Williams Obstetrics, it says, “Chauvinism, male, variable  amounts, 1-923.”

On page 1116 in the index of the 16th edition, it says, “Chauvinism, male, voluminous amounts, 1-1102.”

Enough for today–it’s back to the electrical work for me.