Statement from Professor Dame Jane Dacre, President of the Medical Women’s Federation
The Medical Women’s Federation are horrified, but sadly not surprised, to see the findings of the report on sexism and sexual violence against medical students.
The issue of sexual misconduct in the NHS workplace has been highlighted recently, and it is extremely distressing to hear that it extends to medical students. We commend the authors for calling this out and urge organisations to ensure that the recommendations are actioned urgently.
Women are now the majority of doctors on the GMC register with a licence to practice, and more than 60% of medical students are women. They are the future of the medical profession and deserve to be treated well. Life as a medical student and as an NHS doctor is difficult enough at the moment, without the additional and unacceptable burden of sexual misconduct.
Individual supervisors and staff in clinical placements must change too. 84% of respondents believed that sexism is a problem in medical education. Sexism means treating people differently because of their gender. Giving stereotyped careers advice is sexist. Not giving training opportunities because someone looks like they would not want them is discrimination (e.g. sexist). Patients who make sexualised jokes should be challenged. Staff working with medical students need to be aware that medical students experience sexism and sexual misconduct very regularly and should aim to over-compensate by treating each student with respect and maximising their opportunities for learning. Our manifesto has more suggestions.
The Medical Women’s Federation was established in 1917 to support women doctors in their careers. More than 100 years later, it is depressing to see these problems continue, and to impact those at the very beginning of what should be a wonderful career.
