Pretty harsh outlook from Macleans:
Female doctors commit fewer hours and fewer years to the medical system than males, and family duties are at least one reason why. Despite their demanding careers, women are still given the bigger proportion of child care, housekeeping and elder care, but this pressure comes with a price. “Burnout” drives many women out of medicine altogether, and with five million Canadians currently without a family doctor, things are only getting worse. A 2005 survey found that just 23 per cent of Canadians were able to see a physician the same day they needed one – placing this country last among the six studied, including the U.S., Britain and Australia.
Female physicians are in demand since they tend to spend more time with each patient. Ironically, this compounds the shortage:
Women physicians’ attentiveness is one reason, says Day, that “there’s a demand for female doctors.” But it worsens the shortage””and patient frustration””when female doctors see fewer patients in a day, and then can’t accommodate all those who want to see them.
