When I joined the @amavic Board in 2017 it had more women than men.
The @amavic Board now has 3 women and 11 men, following the election of 6 new directors to the Board in the last 2 months – one woman and five men.
Last night three women and two men stood for three contested Board positions. One woman and two men were elected.
The @amavic President, Vice President, Chair of Council and Doctors in Training on the Board are all men.
Federally, the AMA President and Vice President are men. We have a female Chair of Council (hurrah!).
Federally, the AMA has not had a female Vice President this Century.
I was contacted this morning by a member who asked about the new AMAV Board gender balance.
As the elected Victoria Area Representative on Federal Council, and as a member of the Federal Council’s Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Committee I freely admit I’m disappointed by the gender imbalance.
Like @manwhohasitall, I’m all for having men on boards. I think they bring a unique skillset.
I was really pleased earlier this year to see how the AMA Federal Council has changed between 2009 and when I joined in 2016 
But I can’t say I’m happy that there are now only 3 women out of 11 on the AMA Victoria Board.
I can’t say that I think 3 out of 11 is acceptable gender diversity.
I can’t say that the AMA is displaying the degree of diversity in leadership that I’d like it to display, or that its leadership is representative of the profession, or of our patients.
I can say that I think the Equity, Inclusion and Diversity committee of the Federal AMA, which was established in 2017, has much work to do.
I can say that I will continue to support improved leadership diversity in the AMA.
I can say that I want other AMA members to look at who they are nominating and voting for, and to ask how they can address deficiencies in our leadership when they nominate and vote.
I can say that as the elected Victoria Area Representative I’ve started a Facebook Page to keep AMAV members updated on my AMA activities, to encourage open communication, feedback and transparency: facebook.com/Dr-Jill-Tomlin…
I’ve also started a Facebook closed, secret group for female AMA members (from all states & territories) who want to work together to elect more women to the AMA leadership – at all levels.
If you’re a female AMA member and you want to help get more women elected to AMA leadership, please send me private message with proof of your membership & your email address, so that I can invite you to a closed, secret Facebook Group. Together we can.
Together we will.
