Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
KevinMD
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking
KevinMD
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking
  • About KevinMD | Kevin Pho, MD
  • Be heard on social media’s leading physician voice
  • Contact Kevin
  • Discounted enhanced author page
  • DMCA Policy
  • Establishing, Managing, and Protecting Your Online Reputation: A Social Media Guide for Physicians and Medical Practices
  • Group vs. individual disability insurance for doctors: pros and cons
  • KevinMD influencer opportunities
  • Opinion and commentary by KevinMD
  • Physician burnout speakers to keynote your conference
  • Physician Coaching by KevinMD
  • Physician keynote speaker: Kevin Pho, MD
  • Physician Speaking by KevinMD: a boutique speakers bureau
  • Primary care physician in Nashua, NH | Doctor accepting new patients
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recommended services by KevinMD
  • Terms of Use Agreement
  • Thank you for subscribing to KevinMD
  • Thank you for upgrading to the KevinMD enhanced author page
  • The biggest mistake doctors make when purchasing disability insurance
  • The doctor’s guide to disability insurance: short-term vs. long-term
  • The KevinMD ToolKit
  • Upgrade to the KevinMD enhanced author page
  • Why own-occupation disability insurance is a must for doctors

How every female physician can be a somebody

Amy Faith Ho, MD
Physician
June 23, 2018
Share
Tweet
Share

We live in incredible times.

A time when a millennial with a YouTube account clears six-figures a year (sometimes, seven figures!) with just a computer and a webcam.

A time when a small-town girl with a love of fashion and an Instagram account can go from Nowheresville, America to front row at New York Fashion Week.

A time when the shy girl in the back of the classroom amasses a following of hundreds of thousands of like-minded shy girls through her writing blog.

But when it comes to media and medicine, where are all the women?

Sure, there are plenty of young female physicians, residents, students, and pre-meds in conjunction with fashion scrub brands featuring jumping pictures and healthcare content.

But beyond social media, do we have a female to match Atul Gawande? Kevin Pho? Sandeep Gupta? Mehmet Oz? ZDoggMD? Or even, Dr. Phil?

Where my ladies at?

Women, as the historic underdogs of medicine, suffer from a degree of imposter syndrome perhaps not as pronounced in their male counterparts. We are happy just to be part of the club now, having been banned from it — medical schools, training institutions, academic positions — in the past.

In the recent push for women empowerment, though, women are commonly told they have a voice. However, that does not beget an intrinsic belief that they have a voice, nor a feeling that they can share that voice in a meaningful way.

Part of the problem is successful female physicians interact and hang out with other successful female physicians, and while we praise each other’s accomplishments, sometimes that can make our own accomplishments feel less worthy.

This is when stepping back — and viewing yourself, as a female physician, in the greater scheme of all women — is particularly astounding.

You will realize you have combated decades of gender bias just to get to where you are.

You studied, rounded, and rotated for years just to be able to be called “doctor.”

You have worn those horrible ‘unisex’ (aka male) baggy hospital scrubs and fought to have people recognize you as a physician and authority.

ADVERTISEMENT

You came up with clever retorts when patients consistently called you “nurse.”

You battled sexual harassment, prejudice, and public belittlement.

And, you did it while being the source of life and sustenance (all you breastfeeding mom docs!) for perpetuating the human species.

Every female physician can go head to head with any man — but instilling that belief in us is the biggest challenge. Once you believe you have a voice, really truly believe it, sharing that voice is easy.

There exist many venues looking for content, ones that women can take advantage of to garner an audience. There are writing blogs, popular media news and opinion sources, videocasts, podcasts, social-media based campaigns, prime-time television features, nightly news features, and more.  They are all waiting to hear your incredible story.

These are the times when every nobody can become a somebody.

And you are definitely a somebody.

Watch the full FIX17 talk below:

YouTube video

Amy Ho is an emergency physician.  She can be reached at her self-titled site, Amy Faith Ho.  This article originally appeared in FeminEm.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

MKSAP: 30-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus

June 23, 2018 Kevin 0
…
Next

Health care is making the classic mistake that many startups make

June 23, 2018 Kevin 2
…

Tagged as: Mainstream media, Practice Management, Primary Care

< Previous Post
MKSAP: 30-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus
Next Post >
Health care is making the classic mistake that many startups make

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Amy Faith Ho, MD

  • An image that reminds us what life versus death looks like

    Amy Faith Ho, MD
  • Stop the abuse of hierarchy with these 5 tips

    Amy Faith Ho, MD
  • Residency as a series of mini-interventions against physician suicide and depression

    Amy Faith Ho, MD

Related Posts

  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • How a physician keynote can highlight your conference

    Kevin Pho, MD
  • Chasing numbers contributes to physician burnout

    DrizzleMD
  • The black physician’s burden

    Naomi Tweyo Nkinsi
  • Why this physician supports Medicare for all

    Thad Salmon, MD
  • Embrace the teamwork involved in becoming a physician

    Nathaniel Fleming

More in Physician

  • Why a chief wellness officer hid her medication use for 13 years

    Michael F. Myers, MD
  • Physician patient advocacy: Fighting insurance denials effectively

    Neil Baum, MD
  • Health care’s Upside Down: Addressing systemic dysfunction and burnout

    Ganesh Asaithambi, MD, MBA
  • In the age of AI, what makes a physician REAL?

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • The cost of clinician absence in the boardroom: a 30-year perspective

    Christopher Mastino, MD
  • My wife wants me to retire

    Sandy Brown, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Sabbaticals provide a critical lifeline for sustainable medical careers [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why Medicare must cover atrial fibrillation screening to prevent strokes

      Radhesh K. Gupta | Conditions
    • The American Board of Internal Medicine maintenance of certification lawsuit: What physicians need to know

      Brian Hudes, MD | Physician
    • Teaching joy transforms the future of medical practice [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Mifepristone restrictions: How bans force patients into riskier care

      John Finnie-Maloney | Conditions
    • When language becomes the barrier: IMGs and autism diagnoses

      Ronald L. Lindsay, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • What is the minority tax in medicine?

      Tharini Nagarkar and Maranda C. Ward, EdD, MPH | Education
    • Why the U.S. health care system is failing patients and physicians

      John C. Hagan III, MD | Policy
    • Alex Pretti: a physician’s open letter defending his legacy

      Mousson Berrouet, DO | Physician
    • Health care as a human right vs. commodity: Resolving the paradox

      Timothy Lesaca, MD | Physician
    • Why voicemail in outpatient care is failing patients and staff

      Dan Ouellet | Tech
    • The elephant in the room: Why physician burnout is a relationship problem

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Mifepristone restrictions: How bans force patients into riskier care

      John Finnie-Maloney | Conditions
    • Pediatric care in Ghana: Addressing malnutrition and sickle cell disease

      Benedicta Yayra Adu-Parku | Conditions
    • Sabbaticals provide a critical lifeline for sustainable medical careers [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Curing versus caring in medicine: Bridging the gap in patient trust

      Cherie Shah | Education
    • Flexible health care funding: Moving beyond disease eradication

      Selena Kattick | Policy
    • Why a chief wellness officer hid her medication use for 13 years

      Michael F. Myers, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 1 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Sabbaticals provide a critical lifeline for sustainable medical careers [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why Medicare must cover atrial fibrillation screening to prevent strokes

      Radhesh K. Gupta | Conditions
    • The American Board of Internal Medicine maintenance of certification lawsuit: What physicians need to know

      Brian Hudes, MD | Physician
    • Teaching joy transforms the future of medical practice [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Mifepristone restrictions: How bans force patients into riskier care

      John Finnie-Maloney | Conditions
    • When language becomes the barrier: IMGs and autism diagnoses

      Ronald L. Lindsay, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • What is the minority tax in medicine?

      Tharini Nagarkar and Maranda C. Ward, EdD, MPH | Education
    • Why the U.S. health care system is failing patients and physicians

      John C. Hagan III, MD | Policy
    • Alex Pretti: a physician’s open letter defending his legacy

      Mousson Berrouet, DO | Physician
    • Health care as a human right vs. commodity: Resolving the paradox

      Timothy Lesaca, MD | Physician
    • Why voicemail in outpatient care is failing patients and staff

      Dan Ouellet | Tech
    • The elephant in the room: Why physician burnout is a relationship problem

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Mifepristone restrictions: How bans force patients into riskier care

      John Finnie-Maloney | Conditions
    • Pediatric care in Ghana: Addressing malnutrition and sickle cell disease

      Benedicta Yayra Adu-Parku | Conditions
    • Sabbaticals provide a critical lifeline for sustainable medical careers [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Curing versus caring in medicine: Bridging the gap in patient trust

      Cherie Shah | Education
    • Flexible health care funding: Moving beyond disease eradication

      Selena Kattick | Policy
    • Why a chief wellness officer hid her medication use for 13 years

      Michael F. Myers, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today

Copyright © 2026 KevinMD.com | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme

  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

How every female physician can be a somebody
1 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...