Saudi Gazette Each year more and more women enter the medical field to help their community, save lives and do their bit to make the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a better place for all. Yet everyday these doctors are challenged and subjected to intense speculation on their work environment and their lifestyles. Now many of these women are wishing the society they serve would give them a break. Dr. Afaf Tawfiq, an Obstetrics and Gynecology consultant at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, spoke about the obstacles she faces while juggling a married life, children and a residency program. “I had Allah to thank for getting me through difficult periods where I had no one but Him to give me the strength to continue every time it got harder. My husband is also doctor, it didn't help. But Alhamdulillah, Allah was with us every step of the way,” she says recalling the days of doing her residency in Canada. Dr. Afaf says she is proud to contribute to a field “that is purely feminine but surprisingly isn't female dominant in Saudi like everywhere else in the world.” However, she admits there are many pro's and con's of her job. She says: “Obstetrics/gynecology is one of the most addictive and rewarding medical fields as it almost always ends happily but it is can also be extremely demanding and stressful. When you're on call the chances that you would get a call are 10 times more than in any other specialty. I try my utmost best to be there for my children and frankly I don't lose anyone but myself along the way, just like every other mother.” However, there are many other pitfalls besides the social pressure and the loss of personal time. For example, many men avoid marrying doctors because of the mixed environment they work in and the long hours they have to put in at the hospital or being on call. Statistics show that fewer females get married when choosing a career in medicine and even when they actually get married it is to doctors just like them. A nurse at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center told Saudi Gazette that misconceptions of a female in the medical field are mainly linked to the influence of mothers who mostly think that a doctor is unfit for motherhood. Dr. Amal Bakhashwain and Dr. Doaa K both graduated from Umm Al-Qura University and are currently doing their internship at King Abdulaziz National Guard Hospital. They admit that a doctor's internship is a difficult period but later when picking a specialty it gets easier depending on what they choose. Dr. Amal hopes to specialize in genetics and Dr. Doaa in ophthalmology, which are both low-key fields with no on-calls which gives them time to spend with their families and children in the future. Dr. Doaa K is a house officer at King Abdulaziz National Guard Hospital. “Every time I go to a social event the old women pray for me to get married and feel sad for me. They actually think that I cry at nights because I'm not married. For some reason they feel extra sad for me because I am a doctor even though this has nothing to do with being single. In my opinion being a female in the medical field is a privilege,” she says in exasperation. Dr. Amal is an ER intern at King Abdulaziz National Guard Hospital. She says that there is a popular misconception that a woman in the medical field faces harassment or is made to feel uncomfortable by her male peers. However, she explains that the males she works with are all well-educated, used to a mixed environment and she has never faced any problems. “We are all one big family because we see each other more than seeing our own families,” she says. However, Dr. Doaa K admits that working in a mixed environment is quiet difficult as people talk a lot. “ I tend to think about my every action twice, one must learn how to act professionally all the time when it comes to dealing with the opposite sex.” When it come to marriage the female doctors have as strong a views as their critics. Dr. Amal believes that fate plays a big role in marriage. “I would prefer to marry someone with a medical background as we will have a lot more in common and understand each other a lot better,” she says. Dr. Doaa says: “I want to marry a man who understands me and who gets my work whether he is a doctor or not. However, I think marrying a doctor is more common in our society because they get each other and they have so much in common.” As for the male perspective, dentist Dr. Ahmed Alawi says that he wouldn't marry a doctor as he was raised by over worked parents who rarely had time to spend with him. His mother was a gynecologist and wasn't around to put him to bed as a child. He says: “I want someone who is there to take care of my children and be there for them. I would try to be there for my children too but it is unfair for both the mother and father to be preoccupied with their careers.” However, medical student Rayan Karkadan disagrees: “I would only marry a doctor. No one understands the suffering and sacrifices a doctor has to put up with. I can't deal with anyone underestimating my efforts or not understanding what kind of stress I go through to do or be what I am or will be.” Dr. Afaf says that choosing a career in medicine and juggling it with marriage and children is doable if you have enough strength and determination. The medical field is one of the most privileged fields and considered a key social service in most countries. Saudi women are hoping that they will be treated with the respect that they show their patients. Huda, who is a specialist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital, says: “We hope more people understand now that it might be a difficult profession but there are many ways to work around it and fit family life in the equation.” __
