Purpose

The College’s leadership is committed to gender equity, supported by the following principles:

• Advocating for evidence-based gender equity initiatives in healthcare
• Embedding gender equity in College activities and culture
• Enabling change to address barriers and issues to gender equity in medicine
• Embedding gender diversity in all levels of College leadership

Gender Equity in Medicine Committee

The GEMC will be established for a three-year term to:

• transform the Gender Equity in Medicine Working Group report recommendations (below) into an action plan
• oversee the implementation of this work in collaboration with other areas of the College

For more information, see the Gender Equity in Medicine Committee Terms of Reference (PDF) and background information below.

Members

Associate Professor Nitin Kapur (Interim Chair) | Fellowship Committee Representative

Professor Helena Teede | Ex-Officio (The Chief Investigator, Advancing Women in Healthcare Leadership program)

Dr Hannah Bills | College Trainees' Committee Representative

Dr Allison Hempenstall | College Trainees' Committee Representative

Professor Rebecca Grainger | Aotearoa New Zealand Committee Representative

Associate Professor Cathy O'Connor | College Policy and Advocacy Committee Representative

Associate Professor Mitra Guha | College Education Committee Representative

Dr Swati Mukherjee | Membership Diversity Advisory Group Representative

Dr Fabiola Martin | Membership Representative

Professor Elizabeth Elliott | Membership Representative

Background

In February 2020, the Board approved the establishment of the Gender Equity in Medicine Working Group (GEMWG). The GEMWG’s objective was to undertake preliminary work to define gender equity, understand the gender equity experiences of members, and make recommendations to the Fellowship Committee and Board on the role and actions the College should undertake to improve its support for gender equity in medicine.

The GEMWG produced a report with 6 recommendations and was approved by the Board in December 2021. The GEMWG Report details the group’s work over its one-year term and outlines key findings and insights into the gender equity experiences of members and the systemic barriers to gender equity that they face.

Report launch

RACP Gender Equity in Medicine Working Group Report (PDF)

Key initiatives

GEMWG Report Launch 21 June 2022

The GEMWG Report was launched on Tuesday 21 June 2022 chaired by RACP President, Dr Jacqueline Small with guest international speaker Professor Darilyn V. Moyer, Executive Vice President and CEO of the American College of Physicians.

Speakers at this event also included A/Professor Catherine O’Connor, GEMWG Chair, GEMWG members A/Professor Peter Hill and Dr Nathalie de Vries as well as Trainee Board Director Dr Davina Buntsma and College Trainees’ Committee Chair Dr Hashim Abdeen. 

Resources

Gender Equity in Medicine Working Group Report (PDF)
Gender Equity in Medicine Committee Terms of Reference (PDF)
RACP Gender Equity in Medicine Glossary (PDF)
2020 RACP Member Statistics and Insights report (PDF) - requires login
2021 RACP Member Statistics and Insights report (PDF) - requires login