Female Oncologist Bridges Divide in Male-Dominated Urology Field - Gabriela Gatica
December 30, 2022
Gabriela Gatica discusses her experience as a woman in the male-dominated field of uro-oncology. Initially facing skepticism about working with male urologists and treating predominantly male patients, she found acceptance and success in her role. Dr. Gatica emphasizes the positive dynamics of interdisciplinary teamwork and encourages more women to join this fascinating specialty, aiming to increase female representation in a historically male-dominated field.
Biographies:
Gabriela Gatica, MD, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Biographies:
Gabriela Gatica, MD, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Read the Full Video Transcript
Gabriela Gatica: Hello, I am Gabriela Gatica. I coordinate the genitourinary cancer unit of the Hospital Alemán of Buenos Aires. And well, the initial steps in uro-oncology were taken by chance or randomly. At that point, the hospital decided to form multidisciplinary teams of various specialties. And well, about urology, there was always a rivalry between medical oncologists and urologists, as if we were incompatible, and it was difficult for us to work together. And no one wanted to have the job of working on a team with urologists.
And so, I offered to do it. And when I made this offer, there were some concerns about... how I was going to get along with urologists, being a woman. And there were also concerns regarding the patients, because in this pathology, most patients are men.
So, what were they going to think? How were they going to react to having a woman as their primary physician? Since it is mostly a male-dominated specialty, right? Specialists are mostly male. But the truth is, well, all these doubts faded away because I believe the teamwork with urologists was better than if we had been of the same gender.
The truth is that it was very good. And the patients accepted that a woman, I mean, can treat them in this specialty. So, the truth is that, with colleagues, not just with the colleagues with whom I work, but also with colleagues from outside, the relationship has been excellent, and they have gotten me to participate in all of the conferences.
And yes, they give me a lot of opportunities to participate in the world of uro-oncology. So, I would like to encourage other women to think about entering this specialty so there can be more and more of us in the future, so that we can work in this specialty, which, moreover, is fascinating.
There are few women in Argentina and Latin America who work in this specialty, but I think it has nothing to do with the fact that we are women, right? It has nothing to do with the fact that we are not allowed to belong, because that is not true. Quite the opposite. I think we should each encourage more women to take part in a specialty, which historically has been dominated by men.
This way, we gain a little ground in this, and there can be more and more of us.
Gabriela Gatica: Hello, I am Gabriela Gatica. I coordinate the genitourinary cancer unit of the Hospital Alemán of Buenos Aires. And well, the initial steps in uro-oncology were taken by chance or randomly. At that point, the hospital decided to form multidisciplinary teams of various specialties. And well, about urology, there was always a rivalry between medical oncologists and urologists, as if we were incompatible, and it was difficult for us to work together. And no one wanted to have the job of working on a team with urologists.
And so, I offered to do it. And when I made this offer, there were some concerns about... how I was going to get along with urologists, being a woman. And there were also concerns regarding the patients, because in this pathology, most patients are men.
So, what were they going to think? How were they going to react to having a woman as their primary physician? Since it is mostly a male-dominated specialty, right? Specialists are mostly male. But the truth is, well, all these doubts faded away because I believe the teamwork with urologists was better than if we had been of the same gender.
The truth is that it was very good. And the patients accepted that a woman, I mean, can treat them in this specialty. So, the truth is that, with colleagues, not just with the colleagues with whom I work, but also with colleagues from outside, the relationship has been excellent, and they have gotten me to participate in all of the conferences.
And yes, they give me a lot of opportunities to participate in the world of uro-oncology. So, I would like to encourage other women to think about entering this specialty so there can be more and more of us in the future, so that we can work in this specialty, which, moreover, is fascinating.
There are few women in Argentina and Latin America who work in this specialty, but I think it has nothing to do with the fact that we are women, right? It has nothing to do with the fact that we are not allowed to belong, because that is not true. Quite the opposite. I think we should each encourage more women to take part in a specialty, which historically has been dominated by men.
This way, we gain a little ground in this, and there can be more and more of us.