The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) opened its 2022 annual meeting on 27 October in Adelaide by addressing gender diversity and equality in the workforce.
Recognizing the gender gap is the first step toward achieving gender diversity and equality in the workforce, which will ultimately deliver better health outcomes, RANZCR officials said.
"Improving gender diversity in the radiology workforce will ultimately deliver patient-centered care and better health outcomes," said RANZCR President Dr. Sanjay Jeganathan. "I pledge that the College will embark on this journey through enabling innovations and collaborations that can achieve gender equality."
Dr. Sanjay Jeganathan speaking at the RANZCR plenary session.Improved gender diversity in leadership brings increased breadth of experience, new ideas, and novel ways of thinking, noted Dr. Sally Ayesa, a clinical radiologist and researcher
According to clinical radiologist Dr. WanYin Lim, "Male and female medical practitioners participate in the workforce differently. Understanding the cultural and social expectations, economic productivity, professional opportunities, and the effects on workforce supply will aid workforce planning."
The RANZCR membership data for 2012-2022 indicate an increase of female clinical radiologists from 25% to 31% and that of radiation oncologists from 39% to 44% in Australia and New Zealand, which is still an under-representation of female radiologists when compared with gender distribution of medical students and junior doctors, noted a press release. In Australia, 30% of academic leadership positions were held by women in 2019 despite women accounting for 40% of the medical workforce and greater than 50% of medical students, the statement added.
