WOMEN DOCTORS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21469, 18 April 1933, Page 3

WOMEN DOCTORS

MORE STILL WANTED INCREASING DEMAND [from our own correspondent] LONDON, JTiarch 9 In a recent speech Professor Winifred Cull is made tho disclosure that there is a serious scarcity of women doctors in this country, and she strongly advised all girls who were thinking of adopting a career to consider the medical profession. "We have not nearly enough women doctors," she added, "and medicine not only gives the greatest happiness to the person who takes it up, but it also gives an extremely good financial return. We get numbers of applications for women doctors at the London School of Medicine for Women, but we have not enough women in training for all •the posts wo are asked to till." Miss M. L. Brooks (warden and secretary of the London School of Medicine for Women), discussing the position with a representative of the Morning Post, remarked: — "Medicine to-day is one of tho bestpaid professions open to women. The prejudice which has existed, and does exist, against women practitioners, is disappearing with the entry of women into all' tho professions, and the wider experience of life in general which they have acquired. The greater importance now attached to midwifery and gynaecology is to a considerable extent due to the influence of women in tho medical profession, and I know of many women doctors to-day who have practices extending over an area with a radius of five miles. "Again, the new conscience with regard to maternity, maternal mortality, infant care and the National Health Insurance, which necessitates tho maintenance by employers of a high standard of health in factories and shops—lias called for increased service on the pari of women practitioners and specialists. "Tho course of study for men and women is the same, the expenditure of time and energy is the same, and the financial return can be the samo." The number of women doctors on the Medical Register is now 5391, out of a total of 55.932. Many of these hold important official posts.