2024-09-15 04:00:00
More and more women are becoming doctors in Quebec: They will soon represent 70% of the workforce. This is good news for patients who benefit from their listening and empathy, but it also leads to changes in the organization of work, noted The Journal.
Two twin sisters from Montreal who had to fight to make their place as surgeons in very male-dominated environments now run their own private operating room.
“I had to fight for my place, I had to be better than the guys. That’s the reality for all female surgeons still,” says Dr. Marie Gdalevitch, 44. “You have to be twice as good as the guys to get the same recognition and be offered the same opportunities.”
“A lot of people told me, ‘You can’t be a surgeon and have a family,'” adds her sister, Dr. Perry Gdalevitch, now a mother of three.
Passionate about surgery
Respectively an orthopedist and a plastic surgeon, the twin sisters work in medical specialties that are still very masculine.
Beyond the striking physical resemblance, they share the same passion for surgery. And they have both been through a lot to make their place in what they call the “Boys’ Club.”
Contempt from colleagues, ideas being questioned, exclusion from conference panels: they often made a direct connection with their gender.
For Marie Gdalevitch, the first experience in a hospital where she was the only woman on the team went badly.
“The combination of being a woman and gay is like accumulation. I fought, but it was too much,” she says.
She finally found her place at the Verdun hospital, where she even became the head of the department. One of her struggles? Changing meeting times to accommodate her family life, since she is the mother of two young children.
“I told them: I’m not going to come and have meetings from 4 to 8 p.m. If you want me to be the boss, it’s at 8 p.m. or 7 a.m. And then it works,” she said. “I have children, I want to be there for them!”
Besides, her sister is also convinced that motherhood greatly affects a woman’s career.
Marie and Perry Gdalevitch Sisters Marie and Perry Gdalevitch have had a private surgery clinic for a few months Perry Gdalevitch June 12, 2024 BEN PELOSSE / LE JOURNAL DE MONTRÉAL Ben Pelosse / JdeM
“They want you to work as much as possible. The day men take as much paternity leave, we will truly be equal,” emphasizes the mother of three children.
On call anytime?
The latter has already had to leave her job at a hospital in the Laurentians because she was required to be on call at all times, even though she was a single parent.
For the past year, the sisters have been running their specialized medical centre (CMS) in Montreal. About 750 patients have been operated on there so far, including several from Sainte-Justine in orthopedics. To become more competent, Perry Gdalevitch even went back to university to take management courses. Just a few weeks after giving birth to a third child, she was already back at work, last June.
For them, the main reason why women are less present in management positions is the lack of time due to the family mental load. Paradoxically, they also think that the solution is for more women to become managers.
“Women need to take leadership roles and get involved to change the system. Otherwise, the current system discourages us and it will never change!” insists Marie Gdalevitch.
“And it takes feminist men who are going to promote the needs of women, who are engaged in this conversation,” adds her sister, who always encourages her female colleagues to give presentations when they are offered a proposition.
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What strategies have female doctors in Quebec implemented to succeed in their medical careers despite prevalent biases?
Table of Contents
- 1 What strategies have female doctors in Quebec implemented to succeed in their medical careers despite prevalent biases?
- 2 Rise of female doctors in Quebec is not just about increasing numbers; it also emphasizes a shift in the approach to patient care. Women in medicine are often praised for their empathetic and attentive listening skills, which enhance the doctor-patient relationship and improve overall patient outcomes. These attributes are seen as vital in addressing the rising healthcare needs of the population.
Rise of Female Doctors in Quebec: Breaking Barriers and Redefining the Medical Field
The medical field in Quebec is witnessing a significant shift, with women soon expected to represent 70% of the workforce. This trend not only brings fresh perspectives and skills to the profession but also necessitates adjustments in the way healthcare organizations function. According to a recent report, female doctors are increasingly making their mark, despite facing challenges and biases along the way.
Breaking into the ”Boys’ Club”
Meet Dr. Marie Gdalevitch and her twin sister, Dr. Perry Gdalevitch, two Montreal-based surgeons who have fought tooth and nail to establish themselves in male-dominated specialties. As an orthopedist and a plastic surgeon, respectively, they have faced contempt, skepticism, and exclusion from their colleagues. The sisters attribute these biases directly to their gender.
“It’s a reality that female surgeons still face,” says Dr. Marie Gdalevitch, 44. “You have to be twice as good as the guys to get the same recognition and be offered the same opportunities.” Her sister, Dr. Perry Gdalevitch, adds, “A lot of people told me, ‘You can’t be a surgeon and have a family.'”
Passionate about Surgery, Despite the Obstacles
Despite the hurdles, the twin sisters share an unrelenting passion for surgery. They have navigated a system that often prioritizes men’s careers over women’s, forcing them to work twice as hard to prove themselves. Dr. Marie Gdalevitch recounts her early experience in a hospital where she was the only woman on the team, which ultimately led to her finding a more inclusive environment at the Verdun hospital.
Motherhood and Career: The Double Burden
The Gdalevitch sisters are also mothers, and they stress that motherhood significantly impacts a woman’s career. Dr. Perry Gdalevitch, a mother of three, notes that the pressure to be constantly available for work can be overwhelming. ”They want you to work as much as possible. The day men take as much paternity leave, we will truly be equal,” she emphasizes.
Charting Their Own Course
In response to the challenges they faced,
Rise of female doctors in Quebec is not just about increasing numbers; it also emphasizes a shift in the approach to patient care. Women in medicine are often praised for their empathetic and attentive listening skills, which enhance the doctor-patient relationship and improve overall patient outcomes. These attributes are seen as vital in addressing the rising healthcare needs of the population.
The Rise of Female Doctors in Quebec: Breaking Barriers and Changing the Face of Medicine
Quebec is witnessing a significant shift in the medical profession, with women soon expected to represent 70% of the workforce. This overwhelming majority of female doctors is bringing about a transformation in the way healthcare is delivered, with patients benefiting from their unique approach to medicine. However, this paradigm shift also brings its own set of challenges, particularly for female surgeons who have had to fight to make their place in a traditionally male-dominated field.
From “Boys’ Club” to Empowerment
Meet Dr. Marie Gdalevitch and Dr. Perry Gdalevitch, twin sisters from Montreal who have broken the glass ceiling in their respective medical specialties of orthopedic surgery and plastic surgery. They have not only overcome the obstacles of being women in a male-dominated field but have also become pioneers in their own right, running a private operating room and inspiring a new generation of female doctors.
The sisters have faced their fair share of challenges, from contemptuous colleagues to being excluded from conference panels. They have had to fight twice as hard to prove themselves, with their gender often being used against them. Dr. Marie Gdalevitch recalls her first experience in a hospital where she was the only woman on the team, saying, “The combination of being a woman and gay is like accumulation. I fought, but it was too much.”
The Impact of Motherhood on Career
One of the significant challenges faced by female doctors is the impact of motherhood on their careers. Dr. Perry Gdalevitch believes that motherhood greatly affects a woman’s career, with long working hours and on-call duties making it difficult to balance family life. She had to leave her job at a hospital in the Laurentians because she was required to be on call at all times, even though she was a single parent.
Dr. Marie Gdalevitch, a mother of two young children, has also had to fight to change meeting times to accommodate her family life. She says, “I told them: I’m not going to come and have meetings from 4 to 8 p.m. If you want me to be the boss, it’s at 8 p.m. or 7 a.m. And then it works. I have children, I want to be there for them!”
Empathy and Listening: The Hallmark of Female Doctors
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