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Support for Female Physicians at a University Hospital: What Do Differences Between Female and Male Physicians Tell Us?

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Exploring Resources, Life-Balance and Well-Being of Women Who Work in a Global Context

Abstract

The focus of this chapter is on the support and the challenges experienced by female physicians in the formerly male-dominated medical profession. This study was part of a project investigating physicians at university hospitals in seven European countries: 111 physicians (44 women, 67 men) from Austria participated in the study. It examined how women experience being supported by others and how these findings contribute to an understanding of support mechanisms for women. Findings show more similarities than differences between women and men. It is noteworthy that being a parent had an effect on women, but not on men, for example in terms of being less often a research leader, and feeling more supported by other health care personnel. The findings suggest that a gender segregation of women and men in private life might extend to their professional life. This raises the question what are the resources that offer the best possible support for female physicians at university hospitals.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all participants in the study and the international project coordinator Lise Tevik Løvseth, PhD and the senior international project coordinator associate professor Ann Fridner, PhD for initiating the HOUPE study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Women’s Health Centre, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 66, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Heidi Siller, Angelika Bader & Margarethe Hochleitner

Authors
  1. Heidi Siller
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  2. Angelika Bader
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  3. Margarethe Hochleitner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heidi Siller .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Independent Practitioner, Goole, United Kingdom

    Roxane L Gervais

  2. School of Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia

    Prudence M. Millear

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Siller, H., Bader, A., Hochleitner, M. (2016). Support for Female Physicians at a University Hospital: What Do Differences Between Female and Male Physicians Tell Us?. In: Gervais, R., Millear, P. (eds) Exploring Resources, Life-Balance and Well-Being of Women Who Work in a Global Context. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31736-6_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31736-6_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-31734-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-31736-6

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