AMA VICDOC Autumn 2024 - Magazine - Page 72
That is why the AMA works hard developing
policy proposals that create greater flexibility in
medical workplaces and training environments.
We need to build a culture of flexibility in medicine
where people can do a variety of things, whether
it’s raising children or pursuing further education,
and still come back to leadership roles.
—
The AMA’s partnership with the
Advancing Women in Healthcare
Leadership is driving forward evidencebased organizational and systemic change.
I have seen a very big shift over the
many years I have been around the AMA.
The number of women in our councils and
committees across the country is growing.
We still have a way to go, but we have been
really striving to create more opportunities
for women, and the AMA is a very flexible
organisation to be involved in.
Our Equity, Inclusion and Diversity
Committee develops specific policies
around gender equity and other issues
of inclusion, and the Council of Doctors in
Training has a very keen focus on making
sure our policy output always promotes
equity and diversity in training settings.
These are just a few of the ways the
AMA is investing in women and
accelerating progress.
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We are also advocating for better
working conditions for GPs. There has
been a lot of coverage lately about general
practice, where there is no systemic access
to paid maternity leave and even in our
hospital systems, people struggle with
the amount of paid leave available.
There’s also our advocacy on the
Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS). We know
female doctors tend to spend longer with
patients and bill fewer services, but the MBS
is not set up to support this type of care.
Because, in part, of this MBS imbalance,
there exists a gender pay gap in medicine,
which is why the AMA is pushing for greater
support for longer consults.
Also at the patient level, women suffer
more from a lack of investment in Medicare
item numbers for female-specific
medical procedures.
Investing in women looks like many
different things — and as we mark
International Women’s Day today,
I feel proud the AMA knows what it
takes to truly invest in women.
