Illegal interview question?

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Easy to call them minor nuisances when one has the privilege of not facing them. Expecting a non confrontational, "professional" response to misogyny implies that it is desirable for her to acquiesce to sexism rather than challenge it. In fact he basically stated that:



It's misogyny that needs to be policed, not the response to misogyny.
Medicine is inherently conservative. Physicians are expected to "be professional" in the face of racism, sexism, psychotic patients, etc. I suspect you see the slight sexism of older physicians as institutionally enforced by the medical establishment?

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It is possible both for them to be wrong, and for "choose your battles" to remain good advice

I see the point you're making. It's probably professionally advisable for an individual to choose battles wisely. But at the same time, like the OP said, I think it's that kind of mentality that perpetuates sexism. And when the fear of repercussions is reinforced by senior physicians or interviewers, that's a problem.
 
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Medicine is inherently conservative. Physicians are expected to "be professional" in the face of racism, sexism, psychotic patients, etc. I suspect you see the slight sexism of older physicians as institutionally enforced by the medical establishment?

I hold my classmates and coworkers to a higher standard of respect than I would my patients. And it's institutionally reinforced by the world, really. I don't think many disagree with that.
 
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I see the point you're making. It's probably professionally advisable for an individual to choose battles wisely. But at the same time, like the OP said, I think it's that kind of mentality that perpetuates sexism. And when the fear of repercussions is reinforced by senior physicians or interviewers, that's a problem.
You do more good ignoring the dingus and professionally kicking ass than telling them off for it and creating a problematic relationship. Choosing your battles to help yourself professionally also helps the cause...better to have another woman at the top of a competitive specialty etc than have an unchanging old ***** be halfheartedly reprimanded
 
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You do more good ignoring the dingus and professionally kicking ass than telling them off for it and creating a problematic relationship. Choosing your battles to help yourself professionally also helps the cause...better to have another woman at the top of a competitive specialty etc than have an unchanging old ***** be halfheartedly reprimanded

A fair point. But the message to female physicians who have not yet or will not ever reach the top still becomes, "suck it up."
 
She's saying no to victim blaming. rather than telling someone to let it go or grow a thick skin, do something about it so people learn its not acceptable. I agree with that, but at the same time as someone said above, choose your battles wisely
Yet this is not how we behave in reality. I very much doubt anyone in here, even those who feel strongly as you do, would respond in an interview to the stated hypotheticals with "I would tell that sexist motherf***** off!" We all compromise, it's silly to pretend that it's immoral to do so.
 
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A fair point. But the message to female physicians who have not yet or will not ever reach the top still becomes, "suck it up."
I'm just a fan of showing > telling people why they are wrong whenever possible, even if that means sucking it up for now to play the long game

Yet this is not how we behave in reality. I very much doubt anyone in here, even those who feel strongly as you do, would respond in an interview to the stated hypotheticals with "I would tell that sexist motherf***** off!"
Do not doubt the righteous wrath of the true SJW
 
what on earth are you people even doing trying to bring reality into a discussion on SDN
 
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lol maybe in reality but you would say report to hr
This may or may not go anywhere, depending upon the nature of the offense. The questions are assessing your personal response to a difficult situation.
 
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Anyone else think they'd just get petty af and give the doc a belittling nickname right back? Slightly wrong name or something, you know, just to convey the total lack of respect in a deniable way
 
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And if HR disagreed with you?

Report HR to Super HR.

In all honesty though, if an interviewer asked this many follow ups, it would seem they are just trying to get you to say you'd acquiesce to the disrespect or you'd quit, because those are the only two options at that point. This would be a very weird and inappropriate interview.
 
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Report to Super HR.

In all honesty though, if an interviewer asked this many follow ups, it would seem they are just trying to get you to say you'd acquiesce to the disrespect or you'd quit, because those are the only two options at that point. This would be a very weird and inappropriate interview.
It could also be a wonderfully clever way to assess your ethics and willingness to stand up for yourself!

Or they could just be an ass
 
Seriously though what should op have answered to that woman question lol

"I expect sexist remarks occasionally and will deal appropriately?"

Too confrontational.

"I apologize for my female presence and accept the consequences."
 
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Seriously though what should op have answered to that woman question lol

"I expect sexist remarks occasionally and will deal appropriately?"
I'm sure like any interview question, the point is more to screen for certain wrong answers, rather than look for specific right ones.
 
:)
You have every right to be offended whenever you want. But you'd be better off not.
Let's ask the q a different way.

How will you handle it when the patient/attending/coffee cart guy assumes you are a nurse?
How will you handle it when the nurses let the male interns get away with all kinds of **** and yet complain about your most minor transgressions?

Do you think the mommy track is a bad use of societal resources?

Oh, and when that old surgical attending calls you "hun" are you really going to benefit by going to war?

Be offended. Be very offended. That said, poker face. When I am faced with horse**** like this in an interview, or IRL as a lady, especially as a lady doc, I usually just look mildly surprised like it never occurred to me that anyone would ever question my competence on that basis, because none of these things are issues. I don't flinch when psychotic patients fling feces at my face, I calmly and pragmatically blink. I'm not offended in that these questions say nothing about me but are problems others present for me to solve. I'm glad to bring any of my unique experiences as a physician.

The way male interns are treated has no bearing on me. I try to be the best human being I can be. I don't assume differences in treatment from professional colleagues is related to anything but my presence, not my genitals.

Patients will have any number of issues with me or my colleagues, all I can do is be professional and offer reassurance that each of us while unique are capable of providing the care needed at the moment, any help with be called for if necessary. I'm proud to be an example and offer that yes, I am a female physician, yes/no I am married, yes/no children. Then I move on. My confidence and comfort with these topics is either reassuring to patients and we continue or they ask for a gay/transgender/Latino/old magic flying magic carpet physician, I tell them if I know more I will be able to help you, otherwise ask why they might feel more comfortable with imaginary doctor, and then tell them sure I will try to find one for you/no they don't exist, what next? If imaginary doctor cannot be reached, I would like to help you by.....

When I am mistaken for a nurse, I politely say "oh I'm one of the docs" to anyone around, to a patient I proudly state (not angry) "Actually, I'm Doctor Crayola," continue sentence as though I am correcting how someone says my name. I don't assume anyone knows who anyone is. Even when I say that 3 times in a row.

I don't feel the need to correct the old and ignorant doctors around me unless it will affect pateint management. If it will, then polite statement of fact of who I am. "Please call me so and so." (With an old doc, no standing on title, first name or hey intern is fine)

Mommy track? I don't know what that is. Right now focus is on training. I figure out of a few decades of practice, there may be a few years where I spend a less time with patients to be with my children, just the investment all moms and the rest of society's gotta do in raising those kids up right, hopefully those few years will result in decades of them being healthier adults, better future patients.for the next gen, until I get back to the full time game with everyone else, but that's down the road.

My mentality? I asked how YOU will respond. Sounds like you bombed the interview.

While proceeding through the long road to attendinghood, you will struggle if you find every small injustice worth a response. You will be perceived as the problem eventually ( or even immediately). Your response is immature.

Unfortunately, while I hate the post above, the truth is that responding, will be seen as immature and a problem. Shank those misogynists anonymously and carefully, pick your battles. I'm biding my time to get to attending and unleashing the full force of beauracracy on it as harshly and shrewdly as I can, if my mere nerve and steely eye don't dissolve it with my presence and a glance.

There was literally zero implication involved in his response. He presented few scenarios (which do happen commonly in real life), and asked for OP's response. It is a valid inquiry to assess whether OP can handle the clinical years and residency without breaking down and attacking people over minor nuisances.

Oh God, can you lay there and pretend until you can safely reach under your pillow for a knife and stick them in the back of the head so they never get the chance again? Assuming any of this **** even gets your goat. Just being the sweet sweet bitch I am is winning.

She's saying no to victim blaming. rather than telling someone to let it go or grow a thick skin, do something about it so people learn its not acceptable. I agree with that, but at the same time as someone said above, choose your battles wisely

The thick skin I'm talking about is to make you impenetrable until you can rise and crush with your might. This won't be for years, but women live longer on average.

I would personally walk over to hr and file a complaint if I felt that was warranted

At any point if I am able to make anyone answer in any slight way for their sexism, even if only by refusing to allow a reaction to it give me away, I will live to fight another day, and see justice done.

There were illegal questions asked of me, that I made note of. I meditated on them, and when the moment is right, there will be a reckoning with the consultation of an attorney.

Keeping your mouth shut, poker face, documenting, and secret legal counsel, that's how you make OTHER people eat their words while you eat cake.

Until then, soldier on, never let them see you sweat, that's true no matter who you are.

And on the internet, if someone's being sexist say so if you want.
 
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Well. We've wandered into example to others territory.

There are equally difficult questions that can (should) be asked of male applicants. Let's say you are the male subspecialist who can perform a complex risky procedure on a female patient. She would prefer a female MD but none is available without a problematic delay. You know there is a decent chance of a bad outcome. Do you push her to let you do it? You know that if things go wrong, she will be very angry and blame you but that if you wait for the female MD, the odds of a bad outcome go up. How will you proceed?

My cousin was the female doc in this scenario. Bad outcome. She felt the male doc was weak for not pushing. He didn't feel like getting sued.
 
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Welp i tried and i got attacked by a resident in the process :cryi:

Well. We've wandered into example to others territory.

There are equally difficult questions that can (should) be asked of male applicants. Let's say you are the male subspecialist who can perform a complex risky procedure on a female patient. She would prefer a female MD but none is available without a problematic delay. You know there is a decent chance of a bad outcome. Do you push her to let you do it? You know that if things go wrong, she will be very angry and blame you but that if you wait for the female MD, the odds of a bad outcome go up. How will you proceed?

My cousin was the female doc in this scenario. Bad outcome. She felt the male doc was weak for not pushing. He didn't feel like getting sued.

Well ethics and patient consent/satisfaction questions are always difficult. I really don't think there is the right answer more so to have a well substantiated and ethically backed answer.

Oh, and it's a little late on the procreation and doctoring front.

:spitoutpacifier::laugh:
 
Well. We've wandered into example to others territory.

There are equally difficult questions that can (should) be asked of male applicants. Let's say you are the male subspecialist who can perform a complex risky procedure on a female patient. She would prefer a female MD but none is available without a problematic delay. You know there is a decent chance of a bad outcome. Do you push her to let you do it? You know that if things go wrong, she will be very angry and blame you but that if you wait for the female MD, the odds of a bad outcome go up. How will you proceed?

There are certainly gender-specific issues that an arise in medicine, but do you think a male applicant would ever be asked in an interview what it means to be a male doctor, and if they've ever shadowed a male physician? I would guess that this has never, ever, ever happened. By asking the second question the interviewer is implying that there is an extra burden of "knowing what you're getting into" that should be placed on women, homosexuals, non-whites etc. to find a role model from their specific and potentially disadvantaged group. This shouldn't exist.
The situation you mentioned would be a great question, but if interviewers aren't asking demographic-specific questions of all applicants then they're just giving people from groups that are anticipated to run into trouble a harder time. I think the OP was right to originally feel uncomfortable with the questions she was asked.
 
Feeling uncomfortable is fine. It's the implications of "illegal" that reflect immaturity.

Want to hear some tough, gender specific questions? Sit in when my favorite MFM quizzes prospective male fellowship applicants.

This thread is a useful reminder for me. I work with senior trainees near the end of their medical training and that crucible seems to have some positive effects.

Also, completely lost in this discussion is that she was talking to a research scientist not a physician.
 
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As an elder in life, I've seen a lot in the business world. While in the business world we do NOT ask how a female would react to this that or the other thing because HR has shown us millions of videos and had zillions of training on what we cannot say or do... and being female and pregnant or not pregnant or hormonal or whatever has NO bearing on financial statements, marketing, sales, HR or ... pick something else. None.

The business world is still full of men who act likes creeps (diminishing) and females who act like a-dogs... always gotta be top dog and push everyone down to climb the ladder to ... middle manager or something.

I had an employee get raped while in a hotel in San Francisco by one of the consultants. Didn't find out until the creep came after me in Phoenix. The company said he was such a nice guy until the affidavits showed that he was a repeat. They fired him. Went on with my life. Then I found out the VP of Business Development said the only thing I was good for was "lying naked on a conference room table spread eagle" ... didn't realize that conference call was attended by 13 men (who laughed) and one person who happened to be a female and recording it (not me). He was also fired. Still on another occasion, I had another guy tell me because I'd not had a BF in xxxxxxx years that there must be "cobwebs up there and when your gyno goes in, he's gonna have to blow them aside to peek" and worse as you can imagine.

The point is, the OP not only is trying to make a molehill out of microscopic dust, she fails to see HOW BAD the real world can be; neither gender goes without blame. And to me, the health profession still tops that last word: profession.

My concern is that she won't survive life if everything little thing bugs her.

Personally, after all the things listed above, I think men are awesome and currently, have the best female boss ever (she's a lawyer - tough as nails - God I love her) ... and how tough have the situations above made me? Like nails (mostly).
 
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Someone said they didn't know what I was referring to with the "mommy track"comment. Its this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/opinion/12sibert.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1

FWIW, I totally disagree with the author but that isn't the point of the exercise. The whole point of my original post was that she was asked a question that lacked finesse but demonstrating appreciation for the underlying cultural realities is important.

As for the claim that the privileged white male applicant isn't asked cultural competency questions...that may be true. I don't interview premeds (thank heavens). But they are a part of the fellowship interview process (and it may be that you can thank the ACGME for that with their emphasis on health care disparities in the CLER).
 
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OP, did it ever occur to you that the interviewer was being nice to you by asking that question? That it wasn't a trick question, but rather, as a woman, she was trying to give you good advice about the sorts of situations that you might encounter? That's my impression of that question. I think it's quite common for interviewers to offer advice to applicants during interviews. Sometimes when they say, " Have you considered doing this..." they aren't asking a challenging question, they are offering a suggestion.

My point is that you should learn to be nice and give people the benefit of the doubt. Most of these "suspect" questions are legal, and even if they are not legal, more often than not are well-intentioned. As others have pointed out, if you are this sensitive, you will have a hard life. Yes, women have it worse than men, but given that about half the admitted students are women, and given that your interviewer was a woman, I don't think you have much of a case. I think that the problem here is you.

It seems to me that as a society we have gone from bad to worse, from political correctness to microagressions.

A bit off topic: Sometimes interviewers do ask an illegal question about your plans for children. While I know better than to say anything that's gender-specific in an interview, I wish I could tell every female applicant that I meet or interview to keep their eye on the clock, and not to assume that IVF will help get them pregnant when they finally finish their fellowship at 38 and get their practice running and are ready at 42 to get pregnant ( IVF success with own eggs less than 1% at that point. Fertility starts to plummet at 35. Ideally, women should start trying to get pregnant no later than 30, but I welcome input from an ob/gyn who knows better). That caveat applies to the men also. My office has about 15 doctors in it, and at least 4 of them or their spouses used infertility treatments, not always successfully. That's just the ones I know about. So keep that in mind, if someone were to ask you if you want to have kids in the future, most likely they want to help you, not hurt you. Again, half of admitted students are women. Do you really think that they all had to sign celibacy pledges at their interviews?
 
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A woman asking another woman that question is most likely acknowledging the challenges women still face in the workforce and asking if you've considered how you will balance those issues: bearing and raising children (yes, no, how?), handling misogynistic, chauvinistic and dismissive comments and assumptions from others, etc. If you don't think these issues are real and that they disproportionately impact women, then you're not being realistic.

That same question coming from a man might have that very same intent. Or it might be chauvinistic and condescending. But you have the choice of how to interpret the question, and getting offended or angry is not the response most conducive to your own mental well-being or to your relationships with others.

Fact is, illegal or not (and it's not) the question is still very valid. Being a physician is a highly demanding life path that will require many sacrifices on your part. How do you plan to deal with them? That's the real question, and that's the question you should have answered.
 
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I am a male so while I think I can still have an opinion about this issue , I think the inherent fact I don't face such injustice I wouldn't be aware of the subtle sexist like my female counterparts ... ( An example, I never notice how bad catcalling is and rarely ever notice it and for that I am embarrassed )... Now my question to you all, If the interviewer was black and he asked a black individual what it would be like to be a black physician I would think the interviewer is trying to ask me to reflect on the difficulties I will face within the profession . Yes I know they should try and make it so I wouldn't face these problems but any profession is a reflection of the society we live in .. And sad to say America is still very sexist and racist hence I wouldn't view this question in a negative way .. But if you are offended you have every right to be, I am sick of people telling others how to feel
 
It seems like a legitimate question.
 
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There are certainly gender-specific issues that an arise in medicine, but do you think a male applicant would ever be asked in an interview what it means to be a male doctor, and if they've ever shadowed a male physician? I would guess that this has never, ever, ever happened. By asking the second question the interviewer is implying that there is an extra burden of "knowing what you're getting into" that should be placed on women, homosexuals, non-whites etc. to find a role model from their specific and potentially disadvantaged group. This shouldn't exist.
The situation you mentioned would be a great question, but if interviewers aren't asking demographic-specific questions of all applicants then they're just giving people from groups that are anticipated to run into trouble a harder time. I think the OP was right to originally feel uncomfortable with the questions she was asked.
The "extra burden" is not placed on them by the medical school. It is placed on them by society. It would be silly and stupid to ask white male patients how they are going to respond to prejudice if they run into to it on the job.
 
:)


Be offended. Be very offended. That said, poker face. When I am faced with horse**** like this in an interview, or IRL as a lady, especially as a lady doc, I usually just look mildly surprised like it never occurred to me that anyone would ever question my competence on that basis, because none of these things are issues. I don't flinch when psychotic patients fling feces at my face, I calmly and pragmatically blink. I'm not offended in that these questions say nothing about me but are problems others present for me to solve. I'm glad to bring any of my unique experiences as a physician.

The way male interns are treated has no bearing on me. I try to be the best human being I can be. I don't assume differences in treatment from professional colleagues is related to anything but my presence, not my genitals.

Patients will have any number of issues with me or my colleagues, all I can do is be professional and offer reassurance that each of us while unique are capable of providing the care needed at the moment, any help with be called for if necessary. I'm proud to be an example and offer that yes, I am a female physician, yes/no I am married, yes/no children. Then I move on. My confidence and comfort with these topics is either reassuring to patients and we continue or they ask for a gay/transgender/Latino/old magic flying magic carpet physician, I tell them if I know more I will be able to help you, otherwise ask why they might feel more comfortable with imaginary doctor, and then tell them sure I will try to find one for you/no they don't exist, what next? If imaginary doctor cannot be reached, I would like to help you by.....

When I am mistaken for a nurse, I politely say "oh I'm one of the docs" to anyone around, to a patient I proudly state (not angry) "Actually, I'm Doctor Crayola," continue sentence as though I am correcting how someone says my name. I don't assume anyone knows who anyone is. Even when I say that 3 times in a row.

I don't feel the need to correct the old and ignorant doctors around me unless it will affect pateint management. If it will, then polite statement of fact of who I am. "Please call me so and so." (With an old doc, no standing on title, first name or hey intern is fine)

Mommy track? I don't know what that is. Right now focus is on training. I figure out of a few decades of practice, there may be a few years where I spend a less time with patients to be with my children, just the investment all moms and the rest of society's gotta do in raising those kids up right, hopefully those few years will result in decades of them being healthier adults, better future patients.for the next gen, until I get back to the full time game with everyone else, but that's down the road.



Unfortunately, while I hate the post above, the truth is that responding, will be seen as immature and a problem. Shank those misogynists anonymously and carefully, pick your battles. I'm biding my time to get to attending and unleashing the full force of beauracracy on it as harshly and shrewdly as I can, if my mere nerve and steely eye don't dissolve it with my presence and a glance.



Oh God, can you lay there and pretend until you can safely reach under your pillow for a knife and stick them in the back of the head so they never get the chance again? Assuming any of this **** even gets your goat. Just being the sweet sweet bitch I am is winning.



The thick skin I'm talking about is to make you impenetrable until you can rise and crush with your might. This won't be for years, but women live longer on average.



At any point if I am able to make anyone answer in any slight way for their sexism, even if only by refusing to allow a reaction to it give me away, I will live to fight another day, and see justice done.

There were illegal questions asked of me, that I made note of. I meditated on them, and when the moment is right, there will be a reckoning with the consultation of an attorney.

Keeping your mouth shut, poker face, documenting, and secret legal counsel, that's how you make OTHER people eat their words while you eat cake.

Until then, soldier on, never let them see you sweat, that's true no matter who you are.

And on the internet, if someone's being sexist say so if you want.
U see the fire in HER .... My khaleesi

Telltale_Stallion's_Heart.jpg
 
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Your mentality is the reason why sexism still exists and is perpetuated in our society. Just because I receive no benefit from it means I should keep quiet? Would you say the same thing to a minority facing discrimination on the job? How about someone that was LBGT?


Well see this is why those on adcoms need to be carefully instructed on potential EEOC line-steppers. I mean take the female part out and ask these questions: "Have you considered what it would be like to be a physician as a homosexual? As a Catholic, Jew? How about as a middle-aged person? All of these questions are line-steppers into the potential minefield of EEOC violation.. What about the follow up question - "Have I ever shadowed a gay physician before? "

These kinds of questions are so unnecessary. There are tons of better questions that would tell so much more about the person and that don't expose the school to EEOC violation charges.

I mean, even if you were just going through the motions of interviewing someone that you decided, "Eh, We aren't going to accept her or him anyway, so I 'll throw some curve balls at them." It's just not worth it. You are betting that most of the students would fear filing for how it will affect their potential acceptance to some medical school. That's a bad way to look at it.

People will do whatever they will do; however, It's like speeding. You can get away with for a while, but eventually you are going to get pulled over and ticketed or worse. OTOH, you may be an exemplary driver and speed once, and get hit hard with a ticket--or worse. You just never know.

Those kinds of questions could jump up to bite someone on the butt. They are needless. They should get some better questions that are more relevant to medicine. There are endless, sound interview questions. I love Axes response. LOL
 
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It's like speeding. You can get away with for a while, but eventually you are going to get pulled over and ticketed.

OTOH, you may an exemplary driver and speed once, and get hit hard with a ticket.
that happens?!?!?! :whoa::rolleyes:
 
@Goro what say you? I'd like to hear from someone who actually conducts these interviews.
 
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:)


Be offended. Be very offended. That said, poker face. When I am faced with horse**** like this in an interview, or IRL as a lady, especially as a lady doc, I usually just look mildly surprised like it never occurred to me that anyone would ever question my competence on that basis, because none of these things are issues. I don't flinch when psychotic patients fling feces at my face, I calmly and pragmatically blink. I'm not offended in that these questions say nothing about me but are problems others present for me to solve. I'm glad to bring any of my unique experiences as a physician.

The way male interns are treated has no bearing on me. I try to be the best human being I can be. I don't assume differences in treatment from professional colleagues is related to anything but my presence, not my genitals.

Patients will have any number of issues with me or my colleagues, all I can do is be professional and offer reassurance that each of us while unique are capable of providing the care needed at the moment, any help with be called for if necessary. I'm proud to be an example and offer that yes, I am a female physician, yes/no I am married, yes/no children. Then I move on. My confidence and comfort with these topics is either reassuring to patients and we continue or they ask for a gay/transgender/Latino/old magic flying magic carpet physician, I tell them if I know more I will be able to help you, otherwise ask why they might feel more comfortable with imaginary doctor, and then tell them sure I will try to find one for you/no they don't exist, what next? If imaginary doctor cannot be reached, I would like to help you by.....

When I am mistaken for a nurse, I politely say "oh I'm one of the docs" to anyone around, to a patient I proudly state (not angry) "Actually, I'm Doctor Crayola," continue sentence as though I am correcting how someone says my name. I don't assume anyone knows who anyone is. Even when I say that 3 times in a row.

I don't feel the need to correct the old and ignorant doctors around me unless it will affect pateint management. If it will, then polite statement of fact of who I am. "Please call me so and so." (With an old doc, no standing on title, first name or hey intern is fine)

Mommy track? I don't know what that is. Right now focus is on training. I figure out of a few decades of practice, there may be a few years where I spend a less time with patients to be with my children, just the investment all moms and the rest of society's gotta do in raising those kids up right, hopefully those few years will result in decades of them being healthier adults, better future patients.for the next gen, until I get back to the full time game with everyone else, but that's down the road.



Unfortunately, while I hate the post above, the truth is that responding, will be seen as immature and a problem. Shank those misogynists anonymously and carefully, pick your battles. I'm biding my time to get to attending and unleashing the full force of beauracracy on it as harshly and shrewdly as I can, if my mere nerve and steely eye don't dissolve it with my presence and a glance.



Oh God, can you lay there and pretend until you can safely reach under your pillow for a knife and stick them in the back of the head so they never get the chance again? Assuming any of this **** even gets your goat. Just being the sweet sweet bitch I am is winning.



The thick skin I'm talking about is to make you impenetrable until you can rise and crush with your might. This won't be for years, but women live longer on average.



At any point if I am able to make anyone answer in any slight way for their sexism, even if only by refusing to allow a reaction to it give me away, I will live to fight another day, and see justice done.

There were illegal questions asked of me, that I made note of. I meditated on them, and when the moment is right, there will be a reckoning with the consultation of an attorney.

Keeping your mouth shut, poker face, documenting, and secret legal counsel, that's how you make OTHER people eat their words while you eat cake.

Until then, soldier on, never let them see you sweat, that's true no matter who you are.

And on the internet, if someone's being sexist say so if you want.

You must be a delight to work with...
 
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You must be a delight to work with...
She is expressing righteous indignation over living in an oppressive environment... I think. I found her post a bit all over the place. But if she's upset about sexism she has experienced, then her anger is understandable.
 
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Wow, I didn't expect this thread to receive as many responses as it did. Let try my best to clarify a few points.

First off, I shouldn't have used the phrase "illegal". I did not intend for it to be taken in a literal sense but after a late night shift in the E.R., I found myself lacking a better choice of words. Perhaps a better term would be "inappropriate" to bring up gender during interviews.

The question that the interviewer asked was not, to the best of my knowledge, one with well intentions. She did not ask whether I would be prepared facing future job discrimination, but rather followed up with how I could see myself handling the job of a doctor with my other "responsibilities as a woman". Nevertheless, I answered both questions respectfully.

I apologize for the nature of my comment towards Gastrapathy. Although my primary intentions were not to insult, I now see how insensitive I was being. While I personally believe that such attitudes should not be propagated through generations, it was out of line to wish that he would not reproduce. After reading and understanding the following comments, I see how insulting this comment was and I apologize sincerely for this.

However, I stand firm on my belief that attitudes encouraging female submission and complacency are misguided and should not be reinforced in the field. The fact that this person is an attending physician or not has no bearing on my attitude towards the matter (in fact it frightens me more because of the degree of influence and power he has on others). However I have come to realize that I cannot change the opinions of others. This is something that I shall simply attempt to mitigate myself as a physician.

And to those questioning my professionalism and competency in the field, I thank you for all your concerns however, as previously mentioned, I have endured cases of sexism throughout most of my life and especially during clinical exposures. Even having graduated from a top tier university, I still endure it on a daily basis from relatives suggesting it would be better for me to work in a less intellectually demanding field. That being said, my personal beliefs on the matter and responses on the internet are in no ways reflective of how I carry myself out in public. If I was "thin skinned", if I had cried out or become overly sensitive every time someone has uttered a sexist remark, I doubt I would have made it this far in the application process -- as well as in life. This does not necessarily mean that I will take being told to just back down and simply accept the remarks as a given.
 
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Wow, I didn't expect this thread to receive as many responses as it did. Let try my best to clarify a few points.

First off, I shouldn't have used the phrase "illegal". I did not intend for it to be taken in a literal sense but after a late night shift in the E.R., I found myself lacking a better choice of words. Perhaps a better term would be "inappropriate" to bring up gender during interviews.

The question that the interviewer asked was not, to the best of my knowledge, one with well intentions. She did not ask whether I would be prepared facing future job discrimination, but rather followed up with how I could see myself handling the job of a doctor with my other "responsibilities as a woman". Nevertheless, I answered both questions respectfully.

I apologize for the nature of my comment towards Gastrapathy. Although my primary intentions were not to insult, I now see how insensitive I was being. While I personally believe that such attitudes should not be propagated through generations, it was out of line to wish that he would not reproduce. After reading and understanding the following comments, I see how insulting this comment was and I apologize sincerely for this.

However, I stand firm on my belief that attitudes encouraging female submission and complacency are misguided and should not be reinforced in the field. The fact that this person is an attending physician or not has no bearing on my attitude towards the matter (in fact it frightens me more because of the degree of influence and power he has on others). However I have come to realize that I cannot change the opinions of others. This is something that I shall simply attempt to mitigate myself as a physician.

And to those questioning my professionalism and competency in the field, I thank you for all your concerns however, as previously mentioned, I have endured cases of sexism throughout most of my life and especially during clinical exposures. Even having graduated from a top tier university, I still endure it on a daily basis from relatives suggesting it would be better for me to work in a less intellectually demanding field. That being said, my personal beliefs on the matter and responses on the internet are in no ways reflective of how I carry myself out in public. If I was "thin skinned", if I had cried out or become overly sensitive every time someone has uttered a sexist remark, I doubt I would have made it this far in the application process -- as well as in life. This does not necessarily mean that I will take being told to just back down and simply accept the remarks as a given.
"She?" You were interviewed by a woman?
 
If the interviewer was a woman then I think it was a very fair question. Maybe she has experienced difficulties and she wanted to know that you perceive everything realistically.
 
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