International Women’s Day: Celebrate the achievements of female medical book authors
How do you feel about being honoured as a female author in medicine?
I have been involved in co-editing Kumar and Clark's Clinical Medicine for the last 35 years and over 9 editions. We have also edited many books, chapters and done reviews. K&C is used throughout the world and this has given us the opportunity to travel widely either lecturing, examining and teaching. However, almost everywhere I went, they thought that I was a 'man' and not a 'woman'! This shows that there is a lot that women must do to get recognised! It should not be an 'honour' but the 'norm'. However, I have very much enjoyed it although it was massive amount of hard work!
“Almost everywhere I went, they thought that I was a 'man' and not a 'woman'!”
What would your advice be to other female clinicians wishing to become authors?
Everything is possible. However if female clinicians want to write, they must make sure that their families are looked after first. Writing tends to take you over and is a massive commitment. Researching topics, set deadlines, and editing encompasses one entirely and it is difficult to get a happy medium without huge compromise.
What do you regard as the most significant achievement for women in medicine within the past decade?
Women have made many inroads into a mainly male society but now the numbers of women entering medical schools exceeds men. They are also entering the training grades in high numbers but, it is sad to see that there are still relatively few women getting to the top. The reason for this is not entirely clear but it is not due a cohort effect. However, women are entering many specialities considered to be the male preserve, and about 5 years ago we had the first female President of the Royal College of Surgeons! The physicians have now only 3 in their history.
“Women have made many inroads into a mainly male society but now the numbers of women entering medical schools exceeds men.”
Which arena of Medicine do you feel warrants increased attention and awareness in the future?
We designed the book to be approachable to all starting with a basic sciences to equip the student with the tools to tackle diseases. Keeping up to date is difficult these days but helped by technology. Students should keep up with the new sciences, and new development in technologies, diagnostics and therapies.
“I would also remind the new doctors that we need to be 'doctors for the world' and not just doctors for the particular country they live in.”
If you were to recommend just one chapter or section of your book to readers, which would it be and why?
It wouldn't be possible to recommend just one chapter! Remember to get a good grounding of the basic sciences prior to tacking the diseases. I would also remind the new doctors that we need to be 'doctors for the world' and not just doctors for the particular country they live in. With fast travel, diseases spread fast as we have sadly seen in the recent epidemics.
Would you like to share any personal experiences that have inspired you and your many honourable contributions to the teaching of Medicine?
I have, above all, enjoyed and love teaching students and doctors. It has been a huge privilege. Travelling the world made me realise that we all are the same but the methods of education are different...varying from didactic teaching and memorising to teasing out problems and reaching a correct diagnosis. The later of course generates a more logical way of getting to a diagnosis. There are too many personal experiences to share in this short space!
