Women taking leading role in area medical fields

By Ilene Davis

Business Today

Dr. Claudia Preuschoff at Southeast Missouri Hospital (Fred Lynch)

There are hundreds of opportunities in Cape Girardeau to receive medical attention, including two acclaimed hospitals and an extensive Doctors Park. Many of these offices are home to female physicians, nurse-practitioners and administrators who keep the medical community running smoothly.

Business Today recently spoke with some women who play a major role in the regional medical community about their efforts to advance in their field and the gender stereotypes they encounter.

Dr. Claudia Preuschoff has been a pediatrician since 1986. Preuschoff has a private practice in Poplar Bluff and last winter began working part-time at Southeast Missouri Hospital as a pediatric hospitalist.

Back in the late 70s, early 80s, it was more challenging to be a woman in medicine. "Only about 20 percent of the students in medical school were female and it was still very much a male-dominated field back then," Preuschoff said.

Preuschoff recalled an instance while she was in medical school, and was the only woman on the general medical rotations.

"I paid attention and studied very hard, but still felt clueless," she explained.

She couldn't figure out why she was confused and all her male counterparts seemed to know exactly what they were doing.

She finally realized each morning the group would go over the day's rounds, explaining procedures and taking questions -- in the men's locker room. After finally realizing what was going on, Preuschoff "marched myself right in there."

She laughed and said, "I think it was so standard to do that it didn't occur to anybody to notice I wasn't there."

Preuschoff admitted that some patients still call her "Ms." rather than the customary "Dr.," but said it doesn't bother her. She said she sometimes wonders if they address their male physicians in such an informal matter and thinks, "probably not."

Times have changed, however, and those age-old stereotypes are not such a presence as they once were. Preuschoff said you don't see the gender struggles like you did when she was in medical school. "I know that the med school classes are about 50 percent women now," she said.

The Association of American Medical Colleges reported that from 1970 to 2004, the number of female physicians rose from 25,401 to 235,627. According to the AAMC, since 2002, the percentage of female applicants to medical school has risen each year.

It may appear that women choose certain specialties over others, as it is easier to locate a female pediatrician or obstetrician in the region than cardiologist. But women are branching out, several medical professionals said, and busting most, if any, of the remaining gender stereotype.

Karen Hendrickson, vice president and chief nursing officer of Southeast Hospital, said radiology and pharmacy are fast-growing fields for women. She explains that one reason is because the hours of radiology and pharmacy are more conducive to a woman trying to "wear more than one hat."

Hendrickson holds a Doctor of Education degree, one of less than 3 percent of nurses in the nation to have a doctorate, she said. She's responsible for nursing service and nursing practice throughout Southeast Missouri Hospital.

"I think we are seeing a significant increase in women in medicine, at the same time, seeing men more in nursing," said Hendrickson. "I think that the world is open to women who wish to grow and want to equal intellectually and want to be successful -- as successful as their male counterparts in whatever field is available."

Marilyn Curtis is the vice president of professional services at Saint Francis Medical Center. She said the pressures on women in medicine is similar to those on women in other professions -- they are often more challenged to juggle and prioritize family life and work life. It's definitely more challenging for women than men, she said.

"I probably do think to be successful, women do have to work a little harder and be a little more driven at times," she said.

Curtis has held a number of jobs at Saint Francis over 27 years and is currently one of eight members of an executive team, watching over 20 different areas of the medical center to ensure smooth operations.

Of 100 leaders in the medical center, including directors, managers and assistant managers, about 58% are women, Curtis said.

In general, being a female in the medical community doesn't stand out as something unusual, Curtis said. She acknowledged the profession can be "extremely demanding," requiring long hours, creating challenges to balance work and family demands.

To be successful, she said, it is imperative to "follow through with what you say you are going to do." Patients, families and other physicians want someone who will listen, be honest and return their calls, she explained.

Curtis is seeing more female emergency service workers and said they are very dedicated and take their work very seriously.

Women tend to choose medical specialties that will allow a more flexible schedule, said Dr. Laura Marble, an ER physician with seven years at Saint Francis. To make time for her children, she takes that make it family scheduling easier.

"I'm sure that" medical "specialties of all sorts are going to have to be more understanding of changing roles," said Marble. "Men and women both are wanting to spend more time with their families."

Gender differences in roles are disappearing in medicine, Marble said. With medical school attendance at least 50 percent female, there's not the big discrepancies seen in the past, she said.

There are more male nurses and more female paramedics. And young doctors finishing training lived the experience of seeing equal numbers of both sexes, she noted. "When you dissect a cadaver, you experience it together. I think there is a mutual respect between men and women that wasn't there at first," she said.

Women are instrumental in strategic planning, for hospitals and other health organizations, that influence the health and well being of the public. Women are also influential in the utilization of health care resources, Hendrickson said.

"I believe that society has changed where women have far more opportunities in the work world than they once had. Women are making choices that weren't open to them in the past," she said.