Tam

I’m a fully qualified plastic surgeon, a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons . I’ve spent over half my life studying to get to where I am now. I am extremely good with my hands and can honestly say that I’m a better surgeon than many men of my level. However, recently, I was operating with a male colleague who proceeded to ignore my helpful suggestions (only to have to follow them after he’d failed in what he was originally doing), brush me off when I pointed out the relevant anatomy (only to have to concede later that I was right) and generally not permit me to be involved in any meaningful way in the operation. I have seen this same male colleague joke around and take more seriously, male colleagues.

I have also had male colleagues act surprised when I demonstrated a particular proficiency in certain skills – ‘oh, you’re good at that’ (a backward compliment when said in a tone of surprise)

And I notice I get complaints about being ‘passive aggressive’ on the 2 or 3 times when I’ve made a sarcastic comment (I’m only human) when overworked or overtired whereas my male colleagues who are routinely rude and have on several occasions made people cry, never get complaints because ‘that’s just what surgeons are like’ now

And don’t get me started about the number of times a patient has referred to me as the nurse or ask ‘when is the doctor going to see me?’ after I’ve just spent 10 minutes explaining the operation they need/that I’ve performed on them.