A Generational Leap: Women Navigating Science and Medicine in Australia
The journey for women in science and medicine in Australia has undergone a profound transformation, a shift vividly illustrated by the experiences of Dr. Faye Jordan and her family. Her own career as an emergency room doctor and researcher, alongside her mother’s earlier life as a dental nurse and her daughters’ burgeoning medical careers, paints a compelling picture of generational progress and enduring challenges.
Dr. Jordan’s mother, Dell Yarham, a remarkably intelligent woman now 102 years old, faced a vastly different landscape. “There was just no opportunity … it just didn’t exist,” Dr. Jordan explains, referring to her mother’s lack of access to higher education. While her mother did train as a dental nurse, her professional life was abruptly cut short. “As soon as she fell pregnant, she was sacked.” This anecdote highlights the stark cultural differences and limited options available to women in the past. Dr. Jordan expresses her astonishment at these stories, noting how vastly different the world was for women then compared to today.
Decades later, Dr. Jordan herself, while working as a speech pathologist and raising a young family, made the decision to retrain as an emergency room doctor in her mid-30s. Her pioneering spirit extended to her professional life; she and her job-share partner were the first at a major hospital to implement such an arrangement. “They had not allowed that before,” she recalls. “That was 23 years ago and that feels like yesterday. Now (flexible working) is just pretty standard.” This personal experience underscores her role in a significant cultural shift, enabling more women to balance demanding careers with family life. She reflects on this era with awe, stating, “It’s an amazing time to be part of that transformation as a woman in the field.”
Currently, Dr. Jordan balances her work across both adult and paediatric emergency departments with leading crucial research. Her focus is on enhancing the detection of delirium and improving the prediction of mental health-related emergency re-presentations, demonstrating her commitment to advancing patient care through scientific inquiry.
The generational evolution continues within Dr. Jordan’s own family. Her daughters, Stephanie Jordan, 32, a general medicine surgeon, and Alexandra Jordan, 23, in her final year of medical school, have benefited from significantly expanded opportunities. “My two daughters have had all of the options,” Dr. Jordan states. While she acknowledges that certain areas within general medicine still present “challenges” for women like her elder daughter, she emphasizes the dramatic opening of doors. “Historically that would have just not even been a potential decision,” she elaborates, reflecting on the significance of International Day of Women and Girls in Science. “The doors have opened much wider for women. As a woman in a previously male-dominated workplace, I feel very well supported.”
Progress and Persistence: The Journey of Dr. Lisa Franks
The sentiment of progress, albeit incomplete, is echoed by Dr. Lisa Franks, a physiotherapist and heart-transplant researcher. “We’ve come a long way in the last 10 years as females in research. We still have a way to go,” she observes. Like Dr. Jordan, Dr. Franks is a recipient of a grant from the Prince Charles Hospital Foundation, an organisation instrumental in supporting vital research, equipment, and patient care at a leading Australian cardiology hospital.
Dr. Franks’ research is dedicated to refining the assessment and support protocols for transplant candidates, both pre and post-surgery. Her motivation stems from her early clinical experiences. “It kind of started with seeing people on the ground, what they were going through and then wanting to improve their care,” she explains.
Her own professional path has involved navigating the complexities of balancing dedicated research with the demands of motherhood. “There’s certain challenges that you have to think about as a woman and as a mum in order to keep things progressing,” she admits. “I agree, it is harder … we certainly have a bit to juggle.”
Despite these ongoing challenges, both Dr. Jordan and Dr. Franks are optimistic about the improving representation of women in medicine and science. The formidable barriers that once dictated the professional lives of women are steadily eroding. For Dr. Franks, the driving force behind her work remains unwavering. “I always think about my why … and my why is to improve the lives of the people who are our sickest patients in hospital,” she concludes, underscoring the profound human impact of scientific endeavour.
