Women In Neurosurgery – India – Vision Statement
I firmly believe that, much like the neural network of the brain, the advancement of neurosurgery is profoundly influenced by the development of pathways and connections within our community, both with the experienced and with those who are relatively new.
Our vision is to insipre, promote, invigorate, recruit and train women neurosugeons in India to realize their potential and to create an environment where it will be possible to achieve both their professional and personal goals.
We have to stimulate more female medical students to pursue the field of neurosurgery, and create platforms to discuss and resolve issues facing female neurosurgeons. An important component to this would be a mentorship program, whereby practicing female neurosurgeons can guide, mentor and train young female neurosurgical trainees in India. We have to create a forum where difficulties faced by female neurosurgeons can be heard and solved. We have to invite and motivate women neurosurgeons to showcase their work and give opportunities to young trainees to attend and present at national and international meetings. We have to strengthen our international collegiality and collaborate with women neurosurgeons world over with a powerful foothold.
The burden of recruiting, encouraging and training young female medical students now rests heavily on the shoulders of current women neurosurgeons, but like Somerset Maugham put it in Of Human Bondage, Nature gives broad shoulders to those who she wants to bear heavy weight.
We have to create a neurosurgical world that does not recognize gender, and only cares about science, hard work, perseverance, and serving humanity.