Cardiology not family friendly career

STOURBRIDGE, England, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- A study published Monday in the British medical journal Heart suggests women believe cardiology is not a family friendly career choice.

The British Cardiac Society report, written by Dr. Jane Flint, of the Department of Cardiology at Wordsley Hospital, and colleagues, said women are turned off by long hours, lack of flexible training and part-time consultant posts, and the absence of role models.

The study said women comprise 59 percent of Britain's medical school applicants. In cardiology, however, women make up only 9 percent of applicants and in 2002 comprised less than 17 percent of trainees.

In an accompanying editorial, Professor Nanette K Wenger, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, wrote: "We must acknowledge image issues for the prior traditionally male domain of cardiology, including the balancing of career and personal life."

In 2003 6 percent of fellows of the American College of Cardiology were women, but women represented 14 percent of the affiliates-in-training. The American Board of Internal Medicine reported an increase in first-year women cardiology trainees from 13 percent in 1994-1995 to 18 percent in 2002-2003.