I am a trained anaesthesiologist, practising in a cancer centre since 2005. I have specialised in thoracic anaesthesiology (which involves anaesthesia for cancers of the lung, oesophagus and other chest structures). It has been my personal experience, reinforced by the experiences of women around me, that a woman in the healthcare industry has to perform a balancing act between personal demands and professional aspirations to achieve what she wants. Data has shown that despite having no difference in self-assessed leadership ability or aspirations to hold leadership positions between the genders, women are significantly less likely than men to have been asked to serve in leadership roles. I would like to determine if this is true in the oncology health care sector in India and find ways to challenge this. I believe that this leadership journey which give me the skill set and confidence to be a more effective leader.
