Women in medicine
When I grow up…
Hi I’m Dr Sheri Lim! I’m a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist working in a public hospital in Singapore.
A little about myself- I’ve got three children. My eldest is in secondary school, my daughter is in primary school and my little man is in kindergarten. That covers most of the Singapore school system :) and we are just amazed and sometimes aghast at how much the children are learning at their young age.
The other side of me is that I take care of women at work. My youngest who has made trips to the hospital with me (some of you may have met him) says that he wants to be a doctor like me when he grows up because he wants to protect babies. In reality, in obstetrics I strive to protect both women and their babies; and in gynaecology I take care of women from as young as teenagers through to women way past their menopause.
I love what I do. When I think back to why I joined Obstetrics & Gynaecology it is real clear that I was in awe of a fraternity of doctors (mostly women) who were strong, clear, decisive and compassionate. They were women I wanted to be when I grew up. I don’t think I’ve grown up quite just yet, but I know I have found a specialty that suits me to the bone.
My son’s tutor asked me whether it was hard being a woman in medicine. Her daughter was keen to find out more and to find out what it took to be a doctor. My medical students also ask me all the time why OBGYN, so I guess this post is for her and for other young men or women who are searching.
At 18 I was wondering whether medicine would be the right path for me. I asked a lot of different people. Some male doctors told me “ Don’t do it.” “Its too hard- it’s not worth it.” I applied for an internship in the hospital, doing administrative work and helping out in a research project. I saw how doctors worked, could see how stressed they were and how much they rushed from place to place. It was a harsher place than I expected but I’m glad though that that didn’t stop me from finding out for myself whether medicine was suited for me and me medicine.
When someone says you can’t do it. You’ve got to ask- really? Women make up about 50% of medical students so there’s no reason why gender should be an issue in whether the profession suits. There is no question though, in my opinion that whether as a man or woman, medicine is hard. It can be physically gruelling, the hours are long, there is a standard of excellence that is expected whether you are tired or not and it takes a lot of time out from your personal life. It becomes a large part of who you are.
So what about family and children and pregnancy? Some say there is no good time, I might say there is no bad time, or even earlier is better than later, because if it is important to you. Make it happen. You write your life story and having someone tell you what should or should not do does not cut it.
What I would say is that finding a good partner, best friends, keeping your family close, and even having faith is key. For when times get tough, and life undoubtedly will, these will pull you through and help you flourish changing “It’s too hard” to “watch me.”
When I grow up I’m gonna be awesome and I hope you become awesome too.
The Majority of U.S. Medical Students Are Women, New Data Show
The Majority of U.S. Medical Students Are Women, New Data Show
Women comprise the majority of enrolled U.S. medical students for the first time, according to 2019 data release...