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Do Women Professionals Prefer Women Doctors? A Linked-In Perspective

By Linda | December 12, 2012

Linked-In is a business networking site, the way face book is a social networking site.  Frankly, I haven’t yet figured out how Linked-In works exactly.  But somehow, I found myself in a group called Professional Women’s Network.

I am never quite sure if professional women includes women doctors.  I was a member of the National Association of Professional Women and E-Women Network, but didn’t find other women doctors there so I left.  On Linked-In, where there are no membership fees, I joined a bunch of groups.  This one looked interesting.  I decided to see if I could strike up a conversation.  So I asked this question:  How many of you prefer a woman physician and, why, or why not?

I was bowled over by the response.  In just 3 days I had 13 responses.  The “data” spoke to me.  While most were favorable for women doctors, a few were not.  One bad interaction, and women docs were out of favor.  Expectations of gentleness, experience, and connectivity were high for women and when not met, were disappointing.

Despite the lack of scientific rigor, there are a lot of insights to be gained into how these women chose their doctors.

Here are some of the answers:

“I certainly do!….I feel that female doctors are better able to empathize with what’s going on in my body, not just relying on textbook knowledge.”

“I am more comfortable being touched by a woman than a man, and my OB/GYN has to be female, of course….Overall women appear to be a bit more conscientious…..”

“I don’t particularly have a preference, as I have both but a woman OB/GYN.”

“With my second delivery, I was at a teaching hospital.  Like Gray’s anatomy, the doctor was female but all the interns were male.  After the female doctor examined me the male interns followed.  I almost kicked one because I was so uncomfortable…..As I have become older, I believe that a female doctors (sic) have a different understanding of your issues.”

“Male.  I had one encounter with a female doctor; it was the worst experience of my life….I was in pain for two days afterwards…I went back to my male doctor and never looked back.:

“When I selected a pediatrician, I selected a female who could relate to me as a working mother.”

“I agree with many of you.  I prefer a woman OB/GYN.  AS far as for any other area, I look at credentials and reviews.”

“It’s all about personal preference.  The Dr.’s demeanor and how it meshes with your own philosophy about health care.  There are good and bad in both genders.”

“From my limited experience with doctors, I find male doctors are more professional and caring…..Most of the doctors that I could trust for myself and my baby happen to be male, even though my female doctors that delivered my baby did a great job.  There was one senior male gyn that I absolutely adored.”

“I have had both….and it depends on the level of skill and empathy….”

“The one woman (GYN) experience I felt she wasn’t as experienced which made it painful where the male DR was more aware of being gentle…..As for a general DR, I have a woman now and she is great.”

And finally:  “With my last child, I had a nurse-midwife who worked very well with my male OB-GYNs.  But while I was in the hospital, the female residents absolutely hated working with the nurse midwife.  Maybe they felt more status issues than the men.  I don’t know.”

No slam-dunk for women professionals preferring women doctors.  If your doctor cares, is gentle, can empathize, knows her/his stuff, and shows interest in you, sounds like you have a winner.

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4 Comments

  1. sj
    Posted December 12, 2012 at 8:36 am | Permalink

    Gee, I’m a professional woman…I mean I’m a woman and I think I’m pretty good at being a woman but I don’t have MSW (Master of Significant Womanhood) or a DFA (Doctor of Feminine Advancement) but all things considered, if someone wanted a professional opinion about being a woman I think I am qualified to render one. And on the subject of women doctors, I would say, “Bull-oney.”

    I want a doctor who is the best qualified in the field I need. By far and away, the two worst OB/GYNs I have ever seen….and who should have their licenses revoked for practicing medicine with a heart or soul or whit of respect for a women in/around/past menopause were both women…in two different practices . I cannot begin to describe the humiliation I experienced at their hands on two separate occasions while trying to find a new GYN after mine retired. The GUY doctor who delivered both my boys and saw me through the early stages of menopause was a terrific doctor and one I would’ve kept through the end of days….despite our calling him, albeit lovingly, Dr. Doom. He encouraged me to replace him with a woman and it has not been easy. I have yet to settle on one. ..and it’s not from lack of trying.

    That said, I happen to use a woman ophthalmologist and a woman dermatologist; my internist and my ENT happen to be guys. But trust me when I say their gender had _nothing_ to do with the selection.

  2. Linda Brodsky
    Posted December 12, 2012 at 9:19 am | Permalink

    thanks for you GREAT comment. I agree that a doctor who is good and cares trumps gender. I also happen to believe that women physicians have special gifts (if they are allowed to or want to develop them) to offer.
    I like you take on “professional women” and may blog about that, too. thanks for sharing. I loved it.

  3. sj
    Posted December 12, 2012 at 9:27 am | Permalink

    glad you liked it…i confess, i was laughing when i wrote it. credit the WP if you use it…and you can remove this comment.

  4. RAISE Project
    Posted January 7, 2013 at 2:39 pm | Permalink

    Agreed, skill trumps gender. Although it always feels a *little* weird to have a male OB/GYN. Thanks for posting!

    Linda Brodsky, MD
    Linda Brodsky Respected Pediatric Surgeon, Advocate and Mentor for the Next Generation of Women Doctors, and Founder of Women MD Resources

    Women MD Resources



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