Women make better doctors

Editor—I feel the need to contest Abimbola Seye's view of sex based working differences within the medical student population.¹ He mentions that men in Nigeria do better preclinically, and he attributes this to women maturing much faster than men and being able to multitask various important aspects of life. I agree with you completely on this point.

It's not surprising that more successful women are attentive simultaneously to not only studies but also to relationships and other extracurricular activities.

Men are not seduced by the fairer sex during objectively marked oral examinations, but, as you quite clearly describe, the fairer sex would necessarily be the far more focussed, conscientious, and well practised group for these examinations. That we are better groomed than our male competition would further stand to our advantage.

This firm intellectual foundation and natural multitasking of well rounded women gives us the greatest sense of “purpose and direction” and surely makes us better future doctors.

1. Abimbola S. Gender and extracurricular passions.studentBMJ 2005;13:438. (November.)