On This Day, 22 January 1916

Birmingham Mail

Saturday 22nd January 1916

THE SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS
DIFFICULTIES IN FILLING VACANCIES IN BIRMINGHAM

The shortage of medical men is becoming a very serious matter to public bodies throughout the country. The Birmingham Health Department, like similar departments elsewhere, is having considerable difficulty in filling the vacancies caused by some of their doctors joining the colours. Advertisements bring very few replies and sometimes not one from a male application. A few weeks ago a doctor was wanted for one of the fever hospitals. Three women doctors applied, but on the day appointed for the interview only one appeared, and the committee therefore were not faced with any difficulty in making their choice.
As a matter of fact, there are several women doctors in Birmingham public hospitals doing general work. It is pointed out that in normal times most of the resident doctors in hospitals are young unmarried men who go there for the experience they cannot obtain elsewhere. They have naturally responded to the call to join the Army, where they were probably better off financially. Their places are not taken by middle-aged men because the latter have, as a rule, well-established practices which they will not leave, and when they are unattached they are in such great demand that they can afford to pick and choose their positions.