Young women can choose from many medical fields Hundreds of these specialties exist Some deal with life-threatening diseases Others involve less serious problems Some doctors perform surgeries Others heal with medicines Medical students might even pursue research Researchers make new medicines and devices that improve lives Female Doctors and Researchers In 1930 only about 4 4 percent of doctors in the United States were women More women have been entering medicine in recent years In 1952 women earned 6 IN THE REAL WORLD A Wide Range of Careers Studying medicine can lead to interesting and unusual careers Perhaps you would enjoy working as an epidemiologist These doctors figure out the cause of diseases They work to prevent those diseases from spreading Maybe you would prefer being a school psychologist These doctors study how students develop Forensic scientists use science and medicine to solve crimes
In the 1950s relatively few medical researchers were women 5 percent of US medical degrees By 2011 that number rose to 48 percent After medical school new doctors enter residencies This is a period of advanced training In 2013 and 2014 46 percent of medical residents were women Women are making progress as doctors But the number of women in teaching and research 7
lags behind The Journal of the American Medical Association did a study about this in 2014 The study looked at medical professors in the United States Nearly two times more men than women were medical professors In senior teaching positions this jumped to almost five men for every woman Women also trailed men in receiving research funds This meant they could perform fewer clinical trials than their male peers Clinical trials help determine which medicines and procedures are effective and safe Despite these challenges women have made amazing advances in medicine They have saved lives and kept 8 Women in Medicine Month Each September the American Medical Association sponsors Women in Medicine Month It honors doctors who have supported women entering the field Many female physicians have helped forge the path for other women Many male doctors have also helped open doors for women They have offered support to students and new doctors Each of these people has made a difference
A medical engineer left and a researcher right help fit a prosthetic leg device onto a patient patients healthy More women are joining the field today They will continue to make an impact on medicine in the future Why Medicine Many young women today are interested in science technology engineering and math STEM These
