Female doctors addressed as sisters in hospital: A fight for identity

General
1

Female doctors are often called sisters in hospitals, I experienced it.

In the start it felt so embarrassing, I questioned myself, don’t I look like a doctor? I worked so hard to get to this point, all in vain.

Later I started explaining that I am a doctor to whoever called me as sister.

As days passed by, I stopped reacting to this.Once a nurse asked me why they call you sister,I just replied I don’t know with hiding the pain inside.

Everytime my worth was questioned, still have to deal with it patiently and politely as I am a ‘Doctor’ ?

Reason for this could be white coat, female gender, helping nurses.

Whatever may be the reason it’s a fight for identity, and as a female why we have to prove ourselves in every field to get recognized?

Have you experienced the same?

MBH/PS

12 Likes
2

Yes this happens quite often , gender plays a huge role.

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3

Yes

This happens quite regularly

The only department where female doctors are preferred is gynaecologists in my hometown

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4

when someone study hard to achieve that tag but people don’t gave that recognition so it really become painful.

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5

It’s really disappointing that In our society women needs to fight for her identity despite being capable.

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6

Yes, rightly said, in every field females have to struggle constantly for their worth.

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7

Really :pleading_face:

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8

This happens almost everyday especially in my profession where historically there were fewer females but things have changed now. Our nurses are the backbone of every hospital, and both nurses and doctors can be men or women. Skill doesn’t depend on gender.

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9

Thank you for sharing this; it reminds us all that our identity as Doctor is earned and deserves recognition."

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10

Yes it happens.Recognition shouldn’t depend on gender.

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11

This is something many female doctors quietly go through.
Recognition should come from our work. Everyone deserves to be addressed what they are.
A doctor is a doctor-- gender shouldn’t change that.

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12

This post demonstrates the harsh truth as this thing happens in numerous hospitals in india particularly.

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13

So true. I have gone through the same many times. Even after correcting them many times, they will still call you sister.

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14

This happens so often in hospitals . Patients seeing a female in white coat , don’t even bother to look for their badges they wear, and call them sister right away. They don’t even think twice. This shows the patriarchal mindset of society . It is not about how we want to be called , it’s about how easily the role and efforts are overlooked behind gender bais.

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15

I thought it was just me being addressed as “sister” at the hospital. It was so embarrassing at first, but most of my female colleagues have had a similar experience. Till date, I haven’t been able to figure out the reason, though.:thinking::red_question_mark:

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16

As women, of course there will be a lot of setbacks and it’s hard to prove ourselves amidst all. Let’s just stick to our goals, concentrating on our work hoping the respect we yearn for comes on it’s own

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17

Well said! Doctors are doctors regardless or their gender. It’s saddening to see that women have been facing this.

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18

Gender stereotyping is an endless fight. You will never see a male doctor being called bhaiya, but sister, nobody hesistates for that.

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19

I believe that you shouldn’t simply take the back seat and bear it but calmly explain who you are.

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20

Gender discrimination never truly stops, even in spaces where we expect to be recognized for the roles we portray, and this is something that needs to change.

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