Unpad Increases the Number of Female Doctors
Bandung, West Java, April 30 2023 – Women’s access to education and employment often remains a problem. This has led to various efforts to diminish the discrimination.
This has been demonstrated by several universities in Indonesia, one of which is Universitas Padjadjaran in the field of urology. Historically, urology has been a male-dominated field. This is proven by the higher rate of male urology doctors compared to women in places around the world. However, this gap is narrowing over time.
One of the areas where the disparity is decreasing is West Java, as many women are enrolling and contributing to the urology residency program, especially at Universitas Padjadjaran.
However, this was not something that could be achieved in an instant and has rather took a long time to achieve. The erasure of discrimination in gender is developing rapidly in various regions of developing countries including in Indonesia.
Indonesia currently has five urology centers including hubs in Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Padjadjaran, Universitas Brawijaya, Universitas Airlangga, and Universitas Gadjah Mada. Currently, there are 653 urologists in Indonesia listed at the beginning of 2024. Universitas Padjadjaran’s team includes 10 female urology residents out of the 63 residents.
The figures achieved are in line with the urology residency program conducted by Universitas Padjadjaran, particularly Hasan Sadikin Academic Medical Center in Bandung. Since its opening in 2007, the urology department of Universitas Padjadjaran has admitted at least 1 female resident. Even more so, this number continues to grow.
The low participation rate of women and men in urology is not because they are not admitted, but rather because they do not apply for the field. On the one hand, the background experiences of female and male residents do not differ much in terms of education and the number of gap years (the period from their graduation as a medical doctor to being accepted into a residency program). The difference is shown in the publication experience, which is dominated by female medical students.
The exposure to education as a career choice should not only be directed to a particular gender. Introducing the field of urology to women to pursue their careers is one way to promote gender equality in the field of science. Support and assistance are important factors in career advancement and protection for women who want to enter the field.
Writer: Maria Imanuella Dewi Sekartaji
Translator: Dhia Anaulva Putri
