By Humairaa Mayet
Edited by Imaan Moosa
Dr. Thozama Bosman, a newly qualified doctor, talks to us about her experience as a woman in the field of healthcare and what inspired her to choose this career path.
This is purely my own personal observation but when it comes to pain management, women are taken less seriously than men. You see these differences in obstetrics and gynaecology, where we expect women to deal with large amounts of pain with little analgesia. In some cases, men tend to harass staff, especially the women. This forces us to attend to them swiftly and deal with their concerns accordingly.
Being a woman in any field is not easy, particularly when a majority of them are male-dominated. Being a woman in healthcare, however, is especially difficult, even though a significant percentage of healthcare workers are women themselves. Old biases remain, and women are often seen as caregivers – such as nurses – and are quickly dismissed by patients in favour of male doctors.
That is not to say that nursing is a profession to be looked down upon. Over 90 percent of nurses in South Africa are female, and they are almost never accorded the respect given to male nurses, let alone the respect given to other medical professionals.
To EmpowHER spoke to Dr. Thozama Bosman, a newly qualified doctor who graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand last year and is now a medical intern. She obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBCh) degree in February 2021 and has been working at the Klerksdorp-Tshepong Complex following graduation.
Ever since she was just a little girl, Dr. Bosman wanted to help people. Falling in love with Natural Science and then Life Science while at school helped inform her career choice. She combined her aspirations and talents and used this to pursue a medical degree.
“I can definitely say that my childhood dreams came true. I have wanted to be a doctor since I was 11 years old, and I worked hard to achieve my goal.”
Dr. Bosman is incredibly passionate about the sexual and reproductive health of women. This is why, after her internship is complete, she hopes to specialise in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. There is a great need for women in this field, specifically in South Africa, a country that sees the inequality between men and women manifest on a daily basis.
The sexual and reproductive health of women often falls by the wayside, not only in South Africa but around the world. Women in the field of healthcare who seek to change this reality certainly have a massive challenge in front of them.
As a black woman in the South African healthcare system, Dr. Bosman – and many other women like her – face extreme difficulties. Patients often assume that she is a nurse or junior to her male colleagues.
“Patients tend to listen to my male colleagues more or give them more information about their medical history when questioned. I am also more prone to verbal and sexual harassment,” said Dr. Bosman.
Over and above facing discrimination in a gendered manner, there is also the racial aspect that black medical professionals must face. According to Dr. Bosman, black doctors are treated as inferior to their white counterparts, whether they are men or women.
In South Africa, there are extensive issues within healthcare, such as corruption, unequal distribution of resources, and the mismanagement of funds to name a few. This affects all parties involved from doctors to nurses, and admin staff to patients.
Dr. Bosman explained that she does the best that she can with what she has. As a doctor, she is directly affected by a lack of resources at her facility. She tries as best she can to be completely transparent with patients and keep them in the loop, providing clarity on what can and cannot be offered.
At first, she felt like she was failing, like the lack of resources was her fault. Now, she has learned to take it in her stride and understands that the issue is far bigger than she is.
“If there was one difference I could make, it would be to improve the socioeconomic status of most of my patients. Our healthcare is overwhelmed because of poverty and patients not having access to so many things, so bringing them out of poverty would be my ultimate goal.”
In an environment that is incredibly difficult and sometimes dark, Dr. Bosman draws inspiration from her patients.
“I can be having the worst day but they keep me grounded,” she says. “Their presence always reminds me that this is bigger than me, it is about them, their health and their families. I love seeing them get better,” she explained in a heartfelt moment.
Dr. Bosman hopes to see more young women enter the medical field. She has some advice that she would like to share with girls hoping to pursue careers in the healthcare sector, a quote that her mother shared with her when she was having a tough time while studying which has stuck with her ever since:
You have been walking, playing small. It’s time to learn how to fly.
More about Dr. Thozama Bosman:
She loves reading and hiking.
Currently, at a local clinic, a day in her life involves rounds followed by casualty check-ins and she is on call once a week.
She is incredibly passionate about the reproductive health of women and this will certainly inform her career choices.
Follow Dr. Bosman on social media:
Twitter: @Zama_B02
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