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WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A DOCTOR?

Ask a group of young people today what they want to be when they grow up and you’ll probably find at least one or two who say, “A doctor.” Being a medical doctor is the dream of many students, and it is an achievable one. The road to becoming a doctor is a long one. Practicing medicine requires dedication, hard work, and even some sacrifices along the way. Yet, each year, thousands of people make the decision to start that journey. In the past, if you were a woman, becoming a doctor was especially difficult. The medical profession used to be made up almost entirely of men. A woman who wanted to practice medicine was considered unusual, and she faced many obstacles to her success. Nonetheless, many women decided to follow their dreams. They overcame the adversity they faced. Today, it is easier for women to become doctors, and more and more women are entering this field. About 35 percent of doctors in the United States are female, according to Statista.com. This percentage is still much lower than the percentage (47 percent) of females in the US workforce. Women make up a larger number of physicians in other countries. For example, 74 percent of doctors in Latvia are women. Other countries with a high percentage of female physicians include Estonia (73 percent), Spain (52 percent), Sweden (47 percent), United Kingdom (46 percent), and Germany (45 percent).

DID YOU KNOW? The career of doctor is the most respected occupation, according to a survey conducted in thirty-five countries by the global education charity Varkey Foundation.

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WOMEN IN MEDICINE