A new study from the British Medical Journal reveals that there are more Einstein looking guys with moustaches than women in the American medical world. Sexism in science and medicine is still a relevant topic and a very serious one. This gives it a kind of funny twist.
Sexism in America: There Are More Men with Facial Hair than Women in Medicine
Facial hair isn’t that common in the United States. According to the research, only 15% of men in the US have moustaches, and that’s still more than the amount of girls in positions of power in the medical world. What a time to be alive.
The study was conducted by a team with members from the University of Pennsylvania, Berkeley Law and the University of California San Francisco. Women used to be scarce in med school, but in recent years, they cover half of most classes. Because of this increase, you would expect more of them to get into positions of power. That is not the case.
The Medical World Should Have One or Less People with Moustaches Per Specialty
In medicine academics, only 38% of full-time faculty are women. 16% are professors, and 16% are deans. In a humorous note, the study ends by saying that ‘every department and institution should strive for a mustache index ≥1.’ This means that girls should have more positions of power according to their credentials.
The moustache index, as defined by the team, is the ratio of women to men with facial hair. Of 1,018 leaders considered by the studied, 190 had moustaches. 130 were women. Most of them were in the ob-gyn fields, pediatrics, dermatology, family medicine and emergency medicine. Moustaches were most common in psychiatry, pathology and anesthesiology. 10 other specialties had over 20% moustached men or more.
This Study Does Not Come Without Limitations
There are clear drawbacks to this study. First of all, classifying moustaches might be misleading. Data was taken only from institutional websites, which may not be up to date. There’s also a chance that some moustaches are fake. However, this can inspire some solid research. There is definite gender inequality in medicine and science.
The Study Doesn’t Suggest Shaving, Just A Closer Look At the Societal Standards
The researchers encourage medical institutions to consider qualified girls for the positions that men have held on to for so long. This might bring positive change to the world, and inspire young women to have ambition within the medical field.
This research can also bring light to policies against sexual harassment in medicine and science. This needs a serious upgrade. Family leave and strong mentoring programs could change the face of the medical world. There is obvious corporate involvement in all hospitals, but politics should work in favor of both men and women. You don’t have to be Einstein to know this.
Surely This is Not What Albert Einstein Wanted for the World
Medical schools and all universities are changing. There are more women going into STEM majors, more women in positions of power. The change has always been inevitable. Things just need a gentle push in the right direction. More women in science and medicine will mean equal opportunities. Women should have the chance to go into fields with a fair chance of being successful. While this study is released as part of a series of offbeat peer-reviewed pieces, it is perfectly legitimate and highly relevant. Sexism is a very serious issue in America and all over the world.
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Sexism: There Are More Einstein Moustache Men than Women in Medicine, Study Finds
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