Dr Gigi Taguri spoke to us about life as a female doctor in Ireland and how she knew she wanted to work in medicine from a young age. Once strictly a job for the boys, today over 60% of Irish doctors under 35 are female. In recognition of International Woman’s Day we reached out to Dr Gigi Taguri of Lloyds Online Doctor and asked her to tell us more about what it’s really like for female medics. Hi Gigi. First off, what made you decide to go into medicine? I know it sounds cheesy but it really was a calling. I just knew from a young age and have never wanted to do or be anything else. I trained at Royal Free and University College Medical School in London, which was the world’s first women-only medical school. It opened in 1898 and did not let men join for nearly 50 years! I initially trained as a hospital consultant but later switched my speciality to General Practice. As a GP you take a more holistic approach to your patients and look at treating the whole person, rather than the condition or disease. Have you ever felt judged based on your age or gender? Unfortunately, stereotyping is still an issue. Parents frequently tell their children to “thank the nice nurse” after I have just completed a consultation! I know that they mean no harm but it can be frustrating to be reduced to a stereotype. Are there any benefits to being female doctor? I often find that women open up more and really confide in you. They often say ‘you understand doctor, being a woman, you get it don’t you?’ and I do. I can draw from my own experiences, understand what they are going through and how best to help them. I also understand the pressures women face juggling careers, families and their own health. If you could raise awareness of one women’s health issue, what would it be? Access to affordable contraception. I have a special interest in reproductive and sexual health as it really worries me that it is still so hard to access contraception in Ireland. Women need to see their GPs more than men because of things like contraception and smears, but it’s not always easy and the bills mount up. I want to be able to help women understand their options and improve access. You currently split your time between a GP practice, a busy A&E department and working for Lloyds Online Doctor. What’s the main difference between being an online doctor and a traditional GP? It’s the same concept really. I gather information from the patient and use my knowledge, training and experience to provide them with advice and a prescription if needed. It is just done a lot quicker! As well as juggling your three roles as a doctor how do you manage to find a healthy work life balance? It can get pretty hectic sometimes but my smart phone is a god send (if my two year old hasn’t got hold of it first) and I try to do as many things as possible online, like shopping and banking. Many people ask if an Online Doctor is safe. What do you say to them? Yes, although I appreciate concerns as it’s quite a different way of doing things. I don’t believe that Online Doctors can completely replace traditional GPs for but some services, hand on my heart, I feel it’s safer than traditional consultations. Because everything is documented in a questionnaire it gives me more clarity and makes it much easier for me to make safe decisions. The patient also has all our advice available online so they can go back and read it again, unlike with a traditional GP where the patient walks out and completely forgets what the GP was saying! What advice would you give to a student considering medicine? Being a doctor is a privilege as people give you access to their innermost feelings, fears and wishes and do so in an atmosphere of trust. Being a doctor is also fun, stimulating and rewarding. I think the best doctors are willing to admit that they never stop learning, so be prepared for lots of hard work! And finally what do patients ask you most- this is your chance to put the record straight! I always get female patients who worry that the pill will make them gain weight! The truth is that there is no evidence to suggest this is true and pregnancy causes a lot more weight gain ;) Lloyds Online Doctor provides women with consultations for repeat prescriptions for the contraceptive pill or patch for only €25. Launched in July 2013, the service has treated over 13,000 Irish patients so far. To find out more about the service visit www.lloydsonlinedoctor.ie