Imagine being a young woman who has dedicated years of hard work to become a qualified doctor. You excel in your studies and are highly regarded for your technical skills and rapport with patients. Your ambition is fulfilled as you become a surgeon, ready to perform a complex operation. However, your excitement quickly turns to horror as a male colleague sexually harasses you in the operating theatre, rubbing himself against you and making lewd comments. Even during an emergency operation, his advances become blatant. This is the unfortunate reality faced by Philippa Jackson, a consultant plastic surgeon, who was victimized and subsequently faced a shallow investigation. She was made to feel responsible for the harassment and decided to leave for another job.
Sadly, Philippa is not alone in her experience. A recent research paper published in the British Journal of Surgery reveals that sexual misconduct is rampant in the medical field. Shockingly, eleven female surgeons reported being raped, almost a third have been sexually assaulted by a colleague in the past five years, and two-thirds of women have faced sexual harassment in or around the operating theatre. It’s hard to believe that we are discussing such issues in the 21st century, as if we have regressed to the times portrayed in the 1954 film, “Doctor in the House.” In the film, a senior surgeon named Sir Lancelot Spratt creates a male-dominated boys’ club where young men engage in drinking, flirting, and rugby, while young nurses are subjected to their advances. Female doctors do not exist in this archaic portrayal.
It appears that today’s male-dominated medical profession wishes to perpetuate this archaic mindset and discourage women from challenging their dominance. Although more than half of medical school students are women, they account for only 28% of surgeons. The numbers are even lower at the consultant level, with only 15% being women. A friend of mine encountered the horrific reality of this gender disparity. Her dream was to become a talented heart surgeon after witnessing the life-saving skills of a male heart surgeon who saved her friend’s brother as a baby. However, she endured an unbearable atmosphere for five years. A senior surgeon constantly belittled her, claiming that surgery was not a job for a woman and that the long hours would hinder her ability to raise a family. She asked him how he managed to balance work and family but was met with dismissive laughter when she requested him to refrain from calling her derogatory names.
Just like other female surgeons, she discovered that the operating theatre was designed with men in mind. She had to stand on a box because the operating table was not adjustable to accommodate her height. Even the surgical instruments appeared to be designed for the size of a man’s hand. Eventually, another senior consultant’s inappropriate actions pushed her to quit. As she prepared for a difficult case, he offered to tie her gown, but instead fondled her breasts and kissed her neck. She knew that complaining would be futile, as hospitals tend to cover up any scandals, as we’ve seen with the case of Lucy Letby, a killer neonatal nurse. Furthermore, making a complaint against a senior consultant would risk her chances of advancement in her career since young doctors rely on the patronage of their seniors.
Thus, she joined the ranks of those who left, abandoning her dream of becoming an exceptional heart surgeon and saving the lives of critically ill babies. While she remains a doctor and consultant, she now focuses on the medical aspects of her job, steering clear of surgery. Although she excels in her current role and enjoys her work, she will never forgive the men who persistently undermined her ambitions. And I, too, am unable to forgive them because their actions may have denied me and countless other patients the opportunity to be treated by a talented female surgeon. While I can’t fault the male surgeons who have operated on me in the past, the thought of what might have transpired in the operating theatre while I was sedated is unsettling. What’s most frustrating is the possibility that we are missing out on superior surgical care provided by women. Studies conducted in Canada and Sweden indicate that patients treated by female surgeons have better outcomes and experience fewer post-operative complications.
It is high time that we address the misogyny prevalent in the operating theatre and acknowledge that women may excel in this profession. On a different note, I can’t help but express my disappointment in Meghan Markle for using her children as an excuse for being three days late to Prince Harry’s Invictus games. Surely, they have staff qualified to handle such tasks as making drinks and doing the school run. We must be clear that stealing is not equivalent to borrowing, as the rising rate of shoplifting suggests. Social media’s influence, such as the popular app TikTok providing tips and tricks for theft, exacerbates this issue. Let’s remember that theft is a crime, plain and simple. Additionally, while actor Hugh Jackman suggests that limiting one’s effort to 85% can prevent burnout, I wholeheartedly disagree. Throughout my life, I have always given 100% effort, and it has never harmed me in any way.
As we anticipate the start of Strictly Come Dancing, I have placed my bet on Angela Rippon to emerge victorious this year. She is an absolute goddess who has excelled in her career as a newsreader, writer, and presenter, surprising the nation with her leggy performance on Morecambe and Wise in 1976. At 78 years old, she can still do the splits! If she doesn’t take home the trophy, I will gladly eat my feather boa. Lastly, while some recommend older individuals join book clubs to combat loneliness, I am not inclined to do so. There is immense joy in curling up alone with a fantastic book of your own choosing. Being told what one must read is a dreadful notion.
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