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Debate title supposed to be facetious, says medical body in contraception row Debate title supposed to be facetious, says medical body in contraception row
(about 17 hours later)
A debate advertised as a discussion about whether women who want to specialise in medicine should take five-year contraceptives had a “facetious” title, according to the organising committee behind it.A debate advertised as a discussion about whether women who want to specialise in medicine should take five-year contraceptives had a “facetious” title, according to the organising committee behind it.
The debate about balancing specialist training with parenting was set to take place at the annual Tasmanian-Victorian scientific meeting of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Ranzcog) in Launceston in February. It was titled: Membership Before Maternity Leave: Should Every Registrar Have a Mirena?The debate about balancing specialist training with parenting was set to take place at the annual Tasmanian-Victorian scientific meeting of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Ranzcog) in Launceston in February. It was titled: Membership Before Maternity Leave: Should Every Registrar Have a Mirena?
Related: Having or not having children should not define or divide women | Suzanne MooreRelated: Having or not having children should not define or divide women | Suzanne Moore
According to a statement issued by Ranzcog, the title was tongue-in-cheek and not a literal suggestion that women attempting their obstetrics and gynaecology specialisation get a Mirena, a brand of hormone-releasing IUD, as a matter of course.According to a statement issued by Ranzcog, the title was tongue-in-cheek and not a literal suggestion that women attempting their obstetrics and gynaecology specialisation get a Mirena, a brand of hormone-releasing IUD, as a matter of course.
“The organising committee was very surprised that some have taken the facetious wording of the debate literally,” Ranzcog said. “The intent of the provocative title was to attract attention in a manner that was so ridiculous that it could not be misinterpreted as being in any way advocated. Unfortunately, this appears to have still occurred in some quarters.”“The organising committee was very surprised that some have taken the facetious wording of the debate literally,” Ranzcog said. “The intent of the provocative title was to attract attention in a manner that was so ridiculous that it could not be misinterpreted as being in any way advocated. Unfortunately, this appears to have still occurred in some quarters.”
The statement was issued in response to anonymous complaints about the debate title in the Australian on Monday.The statement was issued in response to anonymous complaints about the debate title in the Australian on Monday.
The debate has been renamed Pregnancy and Parenting During Specialist Training.The debate has been renamed Pregnancy and Parenting During Specialist Training.
Ranzcog defended its record in supporting the reproductive choices of its trainees, about 80% of whom are women, saying five of the six women on the organising committee had children and, of those, four were practising Obgyns.Ranzcog defended its record in supporting the reproductive choices of its trainees, about 80% of whom are women, saying five of the six women on the organising committee had children and, of those, four were practising Obgyns.
The committee’s intention had been to “relate their own experiences of parenting during training and address contemporary issues of relevance including matters related to the employing hospitals”.The committee’s intention had been to “relate their own experiences of parenting during training and address contemporary issues of relevance including matters related to the employing hospitals”.
However, Merrilyn Walton, professor of medical education at the University of Sydney, said that, no matter what the committee’s intent might have been, a title that linked training to birth control sent the wrong message. However, Merrilyn Walton, professor of medical education at the University of Sydney, said that no matter what the committee’s intent might have been, a title that linked training to birth control sent the wrong message.
“I certainly think that’s the wrong way to go about it, to imply that a woman having a baby is an impediment to training,” Walton told Guardian Australia.“I certainly think that’s the wrong way to go about it, to imply that a woman having a baby is an impediment to training,” Walton told Guardian Australia.
“Because specialisation takes so long, it’s unreasonable to say to a woman who has gone through med school for six years, then four years of internship and being a resident, that they should then wait another six years to finish their specialisation … they would then be in their mid to late 30s.”“Because specialisation takes so long, it’s unreasonable to say to a woman who has gone through med school for six years, then four years of internship and being a resident, that they should then wait another six years to finish their specialisation … they would then be in their mid to late 30s.”
Walton has researched gender equality in medical specialisations and, particularly, the low numbers of female surgeons. She said the medical community in Australia was particularly alive to issues of discrimination and diversity after Gabrielle McMullin, a vascular surgeon, said at the launch of her book about gender equality that women would progress further in their surgical careers if they kept quiet about sexual harassment.Walton has researched gender equality in medical specialisations and, particularly, the low numbers of female surgeons. She said the medical community in Australia was particularly alive to issues of discrimination and diversity after Gabrielle McMullin, a vascular surgeon, said at the launch of her book about gender equality that women would progress further in their surgical careers if they kept quiet about sexual harassment.
According to an analysis of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency’s public register of medical practitioners, only 10% of surgeons in Australia as of February 2015 were female. The same analysis showed women made up 40% of Obgyns.According to an analysis of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency’s public register of medical practitioners, only 10% of surgeons in Australia as of February 2015 were female. The same analysis showed women made up 40% of Obgyns.
Walton said that, even in medical colleges with a higher proportion of women, many were reluctant to talk about their intention to start a family. She said changing that attitude would take a generation-long cultural shift, starting with overhauling perceptions of training so that training part-time was not perceived to be a disadvantage. Walton said that even in medical colleges with a higher proportion of women, many were reluctant to talk about their intention to start a family. She said changing that attitude would take a generation-long cultural shift, starting with overhauling perceptions of training so that training part-time was not perceived to be a disadvantage.
“I certainly have heard of the reluctance of women to tell their colleges during the interview process that they plan to have children,” she said.“I certainly have heard of the reluctance of women to tell their colleges during the interview process that they plan to have children,” she said.
Dr Karen O’Connell, a discrimination law expert with the University of Technology Sydney, said the debate’s provocative title could be viewed as a success because it had sparked broader debate about the issue. But she said any conversation that framed balancing parenting and work as a women’s issue was unhelpful.Dr Karen O’Connell, a discrimination law expert with the University of Technology Sydney, said the debate’s provocative title could be viewed as a success because it had sparked broader debate about the issue. But she said any conversation that framed balancing parenting and work as a women’s issue was unhelpful.
“Making this about women and about maternity leave doesn’t get us anywhere,” O’Connell said. “It’s not as if only women have families.”“Making this about women and about maternity leave doesn’t get us anywhere,” O’Connell said. “It’s not as if only women have families.”
O’Connell said the perception that having a child affected a woman’s ability to maintain momentum in her professional career still persisted and that, in particular industries, especially time-heavy industries like medicine, it was “still seen as a problem”.O’Connell said the perception that having a child affected a woman’s ability to maintain momentum in her professional career still persisted and that, in particular industries, especially time-heavy industries like medicine, it was “still seen as a problem”.
“When you talk to young women (you find) that they are choosing professions or choosing their course in life to accommodate future children, which men, even if they want children, are not doing,” she said. “This is the way that things are still structured.” “When you talk to young women [you find] that they are choosing professions or choosing their course in life to accommodate future children, which men, even if they want children, are not doing,” she said. “This is the way that things are still structured.”