Is gender still an issue?

SIXTY-FOUR PERCENT OF THOSE that responded to the 2006 Veterinary Economics Industry Issues Study agree that the veterinary profession presents special challenges for women. Why? Here's a look at the thinking:

She says

> "Because of the need to provide emergency services while also trying to raise a family. Breastfeeding an infant and replacing a prolapsed uterus in a cow don't go together."

> "The hours! We're a service industry and we need to be open when clients aren't working. Daycare closes at 6 p.m. and the kids need to go to bed early. Dads make excellent Mr. Moms, but there are just some things they can't do like childbirth and breastfeeding."

> "Men own most practices and the maternity leave policies are antiquated. Also, it's costly to hire relief veterinarians to cover for those on maternity leave."

> "We have huge student loan debt—more than $200,000—when children are an option. By the time the loans are paid off, we're too old to have kids."

> "Clients automatically respect male doctors. Female clients want to be girlfriends with female veterinarians instead of respecting them as doctors."

> "This is a job that requires compassion and dedication. By nature we feel obligated to give a lot of time and energy to our patients. When you consider a woman's role in the family, it's difficult to do both and have any energy left."

Figure 1 What women want

> "Women aren't typically willing to stand up for the compensation they deserve. And they may be viewed as second-rate employees by older clinicians, because they'll likely want to have families someday or currently have a family that requires a percentage of their attention."

> The emergence of women into the profession has been an economic boon for practice owners, much like illegal immigrants have made business owners in this country rich by working for low wages."

He says

> "Women, on average, do not have the drive and work ethic that men do. There are notable exceptions, but overall women lack work ethic."

> "Following up with clients may be difficult for female veterinarians who have families and kids to take care of. They may lose track of their cases or work fewer days because of sick kids and are unable to see what happens to their admitted cases."

> "The older generation doesn't seem to feel women have earned rite of passage into the field. The good old boys still rule."

> "In the situation of owning and running a business, women haven't been given the opportunity men have to do so. Women still deal with a bias that puts them at a disadvantage, although it has improved markedly over the past few decades."