Pune: When Dr Anandibai Joshi from Maharashtra became the first woman doctor in the country to practise modern medicine in 1887, she paved the way for others. However, even after 137 years, the gap between male and female doctors has not reduced. female doctor Although it is still going on, but not as much.

According to the data Maharashtra University of Health Sciences According to the (MUHS), the overall difference in the number of male and female doctors starts right from MBBS, postgraduation (MS/MD) and super-speciality courses. In 2023-24, out of the 193 super-specialist doctors who graduated from 11 medical colleges registered under MUHS, 120 were men and 73 women. In the same year, a total of 1,973 MBBS doctors registered for PG (MD/MS) courses in 48 medical colleges under MUHS, while the number of female doctors was 1,784.

Dr Sheetal Bahisare, a paediatrician who is currently pursuing her super-speciality course at BJ Medical College, Pune, said, “In a batch of four doctors who opted for super-speciality, I was the only female doctor in 2021-22. It was only because of the support I got from my parents and especially my in-laws that I was able to pursue my higher education, despite the fact that my maternal home is in Nagpur and my in-laws are from Nanded.

My husband, who is also a gynaecologist, understood my desire to pursue higher education and supported me. I like being a paediatrician because I get satisfaction when I see the whole family happy after seeing their child healthy.”

Gender inequality in the field of medicine has existed for a long time. Dr Aditi Lingayat, head of the paediatric oncology department at the Government Medical College in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Nagar, said that when she completed her postgraduate studies, an unequal gender ratio among doctors was common. “Times have certainly changed. In our department, we have three male and three female doctors. All three women are married, and have full family support. However, at the time when I completed my postgraduate studies, we had very few female doctors taking up advanced medicine. Today, this gap has certainly reduced, but it is still evident due to several reasons, the most prominent of which is the lack of support from family.” Traditional gender roles often put pressure on women to prioritise family over career, and the demanding nature of medical training and practice exacerbates work-life balance issues. Safety concerns, especially during night shifts, limit mobility, and systemic biases impede career advancement.” Ironically, MUHS is headed by Lt Gen Dr Madhuri Kanitkar (Retd), who is the vice-chancellor of the university. Doctors Day is celebrated every year on July 1 in memory of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.