Motivating for a gendered analysis of trends within South African

Abstract

In South Africa, in the prestigious profession of medicine, women are still in the minority. Men continue to form nearly three quarters of the number of registered practitioners, although social and institutional exclusionary structures have been abolished. It is important to investigate the reasons underlying this state of affairs, which exists despite equality in access to educational opportunities, training and advancement in the
profession, and the drastically increased number of female medical student enrolments
and graduations during the last decade. What is importantly emerging as a new area
for research, especially in the South African case where such studies are lacking, is an
investigation into the factors specifically influencing women doctors' participation and
experiences during education and in the profession, in an effort to more comprehensively
explain current gender trends.

South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 22 (4) 2008: pp. 920-932