Gender Differences in the Pathway to Power: from Rookie Doctors to Medical Leaders (V08)

The number of female physicians in Taiwan now is still far less than male. However, as a greater proportion of female students entering medical school and more young female physicians working at clinical practice, there is a question that the gender differences on physicians’ development of career and status promotion still exist is raised. If the answer is positive, the next question would be what are the barriers of female physicians. How many female physicians can achieve the leaders in medical system. There is rare related literature found in Taiwan. The main purpose of this proposed study is to investigate the gender difference on physicians’ pathway to the leaders and try to identify the career obstacles for women in medicine. The study will employ conversion mixed designs by conducting the secondary data of world wide web, indepth interview of qualitative research and questionnaire survey of quantitative research to collect and analyze data. The results will provide the baseline data about the gender disparities of physicians’ career promotion in Taiwan. Accordingly, the theoretical model will be constructed to explain the pathway to leadership for physicians. The information can be used to design the programs for mentoring the female physicians to break the glass ceiling of career success and alert the society of gender role issue in medicine. In addition, the gender equality of medical workforce can be achieved, and a new medical culture of equal opportunities and cooperation between male and female physicians can be formed.