There are 130 surgeons in our country. But the road to achieving equality – from all points of view – with male colleagues is still long. Interview with a highly qualified young oncologist surgeon who too many times has been asked: “But are you working?”
He is the doctor we all want. When I greet Gaya Spolverato , at the end of our chat, I think that if I had to define her in one line, I would use these words. Prepared, workaholic, the calm voice of those used to taking care of people’s health, works at the hospital in Padua, is a lecturer at the university and is one of the finalists of the Innovation Future School 2020 Woman of the Year award (see below ).
“When they called me to announce my candidacy, I was speechless: they told me that I am a model for young women. I couldn’t be more proud. ‘ Talk about running this 36 year old. And it is not a cliché: she has just left the operating room and visits to the ward, lessons at the university and a day that is always too short await her. «I hope to have some time for myself, for Gaya, instead Dr. Dolverato takes over. Help, I’ll have an identity problem! ” bursts out laughing.
Who is Gaya Spolverato?
«I am an oncologist surgeon, Achille’s mother, 21 months, and Sergio’s wife. I love the job insanely and I am rewarded by my successes, but the problem is that I spend on average 70% of the week, sometimes 90%. And I will never have equal merit what a male colleague of mine has. ”
Dusted Gaya
Is that why you created the Women in Surgery Italia association?
“Yup. One day, Dr. Isabella Frigerio, the other founder, and I were in the operating room for a high-level surgery for pancreatic cancer. We looked around and noticed, with amazement, that in that room we were all women. Then we realized that finally something was changing and we had to tell it. There was no association of surgeons in our country, we didn’t even know how many were in this profession. So we got busy: today we are 130, scattered throughout Italy ».
What are your goals?
«I can tell you just one thing: why today girls represent 55% of those enrolled in Medicine, and 60% of postgraduates in Surgery, but then less than 5% occupy important roles? Our aim is to increase this last number. It is a world in the hands of men and we want to change it. There are very few surgeons who actually operate because the primary doctors relegate them to clinics. And, by an absurd law, when they become pregnant they can no longer enter the room. The ban is motivated by risk, because it is a place where you can contract infections: a risk that is not proven by research and data, so much so that I fought like a lioness to stay on the front line as much as possible even when I was waiting my little. Generally, however, you have to stop for over a year, but losing your hand in this profession costs you your career. All these prejudices must be canceled ».
“Girls make up 60% of surgery residents. but, by an absurd law, when they become pregnant they can no longer enter the operating room and have to stay for a year. In this profession, however, losing your hand costs you your career ».
Did she suffer them?
«Since the first year in Medicine. when I said I wanted to be a surgeon, the professor froze me with a single sentence: “But she is a woman!”. I no longer count patients who ask me if I will be operating them and if I will be able to do it. At first I was disappointed, then I learned to become even more irreproachable and I reply: “If I wasn’t sure I was his best option I wouldn’t do it.” And there are colleagues who still make the reasoning blonde and beautiful goose equal. Yesterday I operated on a woman and today I went to see her in intensive care together with my resident. As soon as I entered the doctor on duty turned to him: he thought he was my boss because he is a man, since it usually works like this. But it doesn’t work with me, on the contrary, if I suffer discrimination, I want to study and work even more. I tell my students this, and it applies to every profession: if we are good, we become unassailable. Unfortunately, however, many are put in a corner. Do you know how many I see, attentive and prepared, but who are thinking of leaving? ».
What do you do for them then?
“We are mentors, we help them to orient themselves and overcome obstacles. I answer hundreds of emails, sometimes even the mothers of the students write to me and ask me for advice. Now I want to create a road map, an action plan, to monitor the universities and graduate schools that are more attentive to gender equality. And then, since it all starts with education, we go to schools to show the little ones our work: girls must know that they can do it. Kamala Harris also said this when she learned that she had become the first female vice president of the United States: we have to dream big, limits exist only in our heads ».
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Why did you choose to be a doctor?
«The credit goes to the women of my house, who taught me to take care of others, even if it was not their field. Indeed, mine were watchmakers. When I was little, my mother took me to the elderly ladies of the village where we lived: sometimes there was a dressing to do, other times a word of comfort was enough. In those moments I realized that with our gestures we can make a difference and I can, with the right surgery, improve a person’s life. So I enrolled in Medicine with the idea of being the best for my patients. I finished my exams first and flew to the United States for a semester, which then became a second home. I worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, a leading cancer center, and did research at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University. I was only off to go to Central Park to run, because that’s my great passion. I still do it today: one morning yes and the other no, at 5.30, while the other I play the piano, with headphones of course. For a long time I had always had my suitcase ready. Living abroad and making it on your own is an experience that I recommend to everyone ».
What brought her home?
«My affections and the desire to give the best here too. That’s how I am: I always have to raise the bar, look for a bigger challenge to face and win ».
Is there anything that scares you?
«Of course, the photo I will have to take for this article because I will be in disorder (laughs, ed). Seriously, the idea of flattening and demotivating myself frightens me because maybe I will never have a primary position due to the usual discrimination. But I also don’t want to fall into the trap that we women build for ourselves: we never give up, we sacrifice everything for work and to prove ourselves up to it, hoping that our loved ones can forgive us. Here, it is not necessary to leave work at 9 in the evening, you can also do it at 5 in the afternoon and without feeling guilty: the quality does not depend on the time ».
The women who are good for Italy
Young, courageous and ready to get involved for society. These are the 15 finalists of the National Woman of the Year Award . Conceived by the Treviso association Innovation future school (www.innovationfutureschool.com), the initiative has reached its third edition and this year has collected hundreds of applications throughout Italy. A jury of experts has selected the 15 finalists and on December 12 will award the winner live on Facebook. In addition to Gaya Spolverato, many top professionals are in the running, such as Patrizia Palumbo of the Dream Team Donne in Rete Association who helps the workers of Scampia and the biologist Silvia Bonizzoni, who studies dolphins off the Italian coast.
