Thursday, February 13, 2014

Women in Radiology

When we look back at the history of women’s rights we don’t think past major events such as the suffrage movement that led to the right to vote. Women eventually would follow that up with landmark achievements. So how did women fare in the world of medicine? How did women fare in Radiology? Let’s look at some interesting facts:
  • There are still more men in radiology than women.
  • It was a woman, Madame Curie, who pioneered radioactivity research.
  •  In 1981 the American Association for Women Radiologists was born


The fact that it wasn't until 1981 that this particular association was born really shows that progress was coming along slowly. Diagnostic imaging as a whole is still a male dominated field but the AAWR made some real strides in terms of leveling the playing field in this particular specialty. The fact is that the planning stages were particularly long because prior to it’s birth there was a lot of work being put in to create stronger roles for women in terms of having associations of this type. Some of the interesting facts about the 1981 meeting that gave birth to AAWR are the following:

  • That they be accepted as equal professionals.
  • That they do not want a position they are not qualified for.
  • That the RSNA aid in the education of the public to accept the woman physician.
  • That an article appear in RADIOLOGY giving endorsement to the development of a Women's Radiological Society.
  • That there was a need to obtain mailing lists of women radiologists and a data bank for geographical location and occupation of women radiologists.

These types of requests showcased the fact that women were not seen as equals in the field of medicine and not in radiology. The creation of the AAWR was the first real step in giving women their just credit and recognition as equals in medicine and the specialty of their choosing. Women’s equality in radiology still has a long way to go, but no one can question a woman’s ability to perform a CT scan, of MRI scan based on gender. As the number of women radiologists continues to rise, so too does the already rich history of the AAWR.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering any questions that you may have.



Charla Hurst
General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 




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