Does being a woman make a difference in professional practice? A qualitative view to the practice of rheumatology.

Abstract

To explore to what extent female rheumatologists perceived that gender had an influence on their professional practice or on their choice of specialty. We collected data from 29 female rheumatologists and used qualitative and quantitative methods to describe the findings. Three groups of respondents were identified (cluster analysis). Most of these rheumatologists perceived that gender influenced the way they practiced, although the specific weights of the topics were different in the 3 groups. Gender also influenced these physicians' choice of specialty field. The differences in practice style may have a potential effect on health systems as feminization of the medical profession increases.