At PWI Brussels we have launched a pilot project to honour the most women-friendly hotel in town with the PWI Hotel Award.

This is a pilot project and we have a twofold aim: 

•  To renew yearly the appointment of this award to a hotel in Brussels 
  
•  To support the other PWN Global city-networks who take on board this hotel award (in this case PWN Hotel Award) in their town/country.
  

We want to raise the attention about the needs of women travelling either on a business or private basis, and to create awareness and pressure in the environment where we run our own PWN activities. If we are successful, then the improvements in hotels will be available to every guest, women and men too.

What is the PWI Hotel Award about?

The PWI Hotel Award is based on the level of the compliance to several criteria belonging to the following categories: Security & Safety, Comfort & Pampering, Networking Opportunities, Health & Food and Respectful Attitude to Women. Unfortunately some hotels – despite having wonderful premises and services – take the liberty to choose advertisements that is offensive towards women (1).

 

The criteria for evaluation of the hotels will be weighted according to the indication coming out from the PWN Global Poll. Which can be found below.

The next steps of the project

1) April-May 2015 -The Poll – The PWI Hotel Award criteria will be validated and weighed on the basis of a poll where all the PWN Global members are invited to vote. 

2) May 2015 - Based on the poll vote the criteria will be weighted

3) March -/ May 2015 - The Brussels hotels (from four stars upwards) located in the city centre and in the office districts are being invited to take the assessment challenge

4) May / June 2015 - Hotels will be scored and ranked upon the weighted criteria

5) September 2015 -The finalists and the winner will be invited  to the event “PWI Hotel Award ceremony” together with local tourism institutions, with the PWI corporate members and the PWN global members willing to attend.

The POLL – Why we ask for the PWI Brussels and the PWN Global Members’ opinion

We kindly ask the collaboration of the PWI and PWN global Members in order to vote and weight the criteria on which hotels will be assessed in relation to the PWI Hotel Award. 

The poll participants are invited to express their preferences on each criterion and are free to add additional criteria.

Info

The PWI Hotel Award project is run by a team led by Alessandra Zocca – Secretary-General of PWI Brussels. 

If you are interested in info or you would like to support us, or you might like the idea to be the next city network to establish the PWN Global Award, please feel free to contact:

Alessandra Zocca at secretary-general@pwi.be

Irene Personne at socialmedia@pwi.be

Follow up actions

This project has also inspired Alessandra and Irene to initiate an association called Opportunalia in the area of tourism focusing on people traveling alone who like to meet new people in a safe and enjoyable setting facilitated by the hotel they are staying in. 

Hotels that respect the criteria defined in the poll will be allowed to carry the label “Networking Masters”, created by Alessandra and Irene. 

Their website will go live in a few weeks so please save the following link to keep track of their progress and activities: www.networkingmasters.be

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE POLL 

Thanks to everybody for participating in the poll!

Jean Luc Louis CEO and Mentor

 

 

Out of 180 people who attended the project presentation session, 70 followed the training session and 35 participated actively in the working groups. They were 1/3 women and 2/3 men from a wide variety of cultural, educational and financial backgrounds as well as motivations. In the end, 4 enrolled in a training program and 13 found a new job.

Pro’s	Con’s
Team spirit was a reality Willingness to reach the goal was real but the “how” was not clear at all Evolution of the mentality (from unemployed persons to member of a project team) New network for all Proud to be member of a project team Achieved results	Not enough meetings (needed to change quicker mentality quicker) Not enough training (needed to give or to upgrade competencies) Not enough trainers (the follow-up was more important than what we had thought it would be necessary) Not enough time (link to “not enough trainers”)

Success factors

Difficulties

The willingness of several people to reach a result at the end of the work The spirit created in almost every team The presence of someone from 50s@work to assume the continuation of the work and to give, from time to time, methodological support. Time bounded project, even if the defined period was too short, the need to reach a result within a certain period of time was a plus

People were free to participate, and also to leave. Some of them were only “tourists” and not real participants. They were only curious. Quality level of some team “leaders”: was too low and they were not able to manage a team, even with the support of someone from the association. Time management: link to the lack of experience; We were too naïve. We have started with the idea that every 50+er without a job wants to find a one. It is not true. We have to be aware of that fact.

What are the next steps for 50s@work?

Short Biography

After a career of more than 30 years within the credit insurance industry, in Belgium and abroad, Jean Luc Louis decided to launch his own activities. Since 2009 he has been offering services to companies as a consultant in all aspect regarding "credit risk management". He also organizes events like fairs and congresses and he supports new businesses (search of investors, internal organization, respect of legal constraints, etc.). He is the Vice-president of 50s@work ASBLin Bruxelles (Helping people 50+ to find a job) and the owner of the company BXL.net Sprl, During his career Jean Luc Louis has covered several positions as CEO at Euler Hermes Belgium (Information Company), Mondialis SA (Credit insurance), Euler Hermes Nederland NV (Credit Insurance), Dimensione Spa in Rome (Information Company). He also gained the positions of Member of the board at UCM Brussels (Organization of small enterprises), eDebex SA, Chamber of Commerce “Belgium-Luxemburg” in France, Chamber of Commerce of Brussels, CESCOB Pojistovna in Prague (Credit insurance) and COBAC Nederlands. He has been Vice President at EULER SIAC Spa in Rome (Credit Insurance), Deputy General Director at EULER COBAC SA and Advisor at KALARA ASBLin Bruxelles (Children education in Cameroon). Jean Luc Louis gained a post graduate degree in Management at Cepac Solvay Business School (Brussels, Belgium) and is a member of the INSEAD Entrepreneurship Club (IEC, Fontainebleau France). IEC serves to "funnel" INSEAD MBA students, regardless of their entrepreneurial experiences, from inspiration, all the way to starting their own business during or after the program. Jean Luc Louis is a fluent speaker of French, Dutch, English, Italian and basic German. Contacts Jean Luc LOUIS Sprl BXL.Net Bvba +32 (0) 474 990 520 jeanluc.louis@hotmail.com https://www.thinglink.com/scene/600397654995763200)

Lidia Fogarolo Forensic Graphologist, Director of Morettian Graphology School in Padua (Italy) and Writer

Graphology, this mysterious and intriguing word ... I guess there are still many biases, myths and confusion about graphology …
Lidia, for example, what do you think about the dialogue (1) where Sherlock Holmes pontificates about the psychological analysis of handwriting (in Guy Ritchie’s movie “ Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows”)?

Indeed, Alessandra, there is still ambiguity around graphology!
Despite his elegant tone, what Sherlock explains are, in my opinion, only fanciful assertions because none of his sentences corresponds – not evenly slightly – to the

• The goal of the test is clear
  
• The administrator of the test has a background in psychology and in test management, which provides them with the appropriate competencies to decode the personality aspects revealed by the test (such as: intelligence, feelings, emotions, affection) and with the appropriate knowledge of the psychological concepts (such as projection, suppression, dissociation, etc.).
  

• Sensitivity, the capability to measure the differences between individuals
  
• Reliability, meaning that the relevant test measurements are accurate
  
• Effectiveness, meaning the capability to test exactly what the tests claims to assess.
  

How can graphology concretely help people? Do you have any anecdote to share with our readership?

Graphology reveals a great knowledge: this asset could be valuable in different fields in order to reveal the uniqueness of an individual and to detect the causes – even the most hidden – of psychological problems. Graphology also helps to clarify the relationship issues between two very different people, who struggle to understand each other due to their differences (for instance, a logical and rational individual connecting with a person driven by their feelings, or an intuitive person in a relationship with a person interested in their outward appearance).
I am glad to share a concrete case: last week I was consulted to clarify a serious personality conflict between two sisters. Thanks to the analysis of their spontaneous handwriting I could immediately identify the differences in their personalities that were creating the conflict between these two high talented women, who were pursuing opposite life strategies. The first lady has identified herself in her professional role as a welfare worker, very professional, always striving for pragmatic solutions, but not too keen to listen to her inner being. The other sister, instead, is very focused on her inner being and her fears, always looking for new life visions, unable to enjoy any achievement because she is immediately pushing herself toward a further target. On the basis of these two different life visions the two sisters cannot understand each other.


How has handwriting changed over the centuries? What phenomena and trends do the handwriting of young people reflect nowadays?

Graphology allows comparison of handwritings from different centuries and countries, therefore across ages but also handwriting of individuals from various countries belonging to the same age.
In the past handwriting was much more angular and more accentuated because this reflected harder life conditions: the necessity to overcome material difficulties forced people to develop higher physical strength and anger, characteristics that were eventually transferred to their handwriting.

The same principle is valid for contemporary handwritings on a geographical level: handwriting reflects the hardness of the conditions in which individuals grow-up: in the Western countries the handwritings of young people show more softness than their peers from poor countries, who reflect a more rigid personality structure.
I recall a consultancy case I was presented from a multinational corporation, who asked my opinion about the opportunity to recruit an Indian engineer for a managerial position in their Italian branch.
Even though the engineer’s résumé was exceptionally good, it was clear from his hand-writing that his psychological profile was very distant from the typical profiles of Italian personalities. I am not saying he was better or worse than the target profile, but the psychological gap was so profound that it would inevitably end up in a lack of communication and poor understanding with the other employees, which would be perceived as poor leadership. This example reflects the intercultural issues of our era and how graphology makes it possible to detect them.


Lidia, in general does the handwriting of an individual change during ageing?

Alessandra, let me make an important premise: handwriting is analyzable only if the writing capability is a spontaneous movement showing that the individual has integrated this ability. A person’s handwriting ability does not just correspond to their schooling, but also to their overall evolution as human beings.
In my seminars and classes I often tell the story of my uncle, a very successful entrepreneur, who had such a bad experience at school that he had to repeat his first elementary class three times. I have analysed his handwriting: although, as an adult, he did not spend much time writing, his traits were similar to the handwriting of many entrepreneurs who have the same qualities, such as intuition in business. This is an extreme case, but it illustrates a general principle: the handwriting traits reflect the physical and cerebral movement. The handwriting of older individuals appears more rigid probably due to the stiffening of their mental framework.


In which fields is graphology applicable?

Frankly the only “socially accepted” application of graphology nowadays is the area of the forensic sciences and forensic graphology. This is a necessity as courts need the contribution of experts able to discriminate signatures and to spot forgery in handwritten documents, or to identify the author in crimes when falsification is used to commit a crime.

Much less diffused and not yet accepted at the social level is the profession of a graphologist, the expert able to compile the personality profile of individuals from different perspectives: for personal interests to know themselves better, for clinical reasons and for company recruitment.


What is the relevance of a graphologist’s report in court?

I believe that graphologists have a great responsibility in providing courts with their assessments and that they must demonstrate impeccable ethics …

The forensic graphologist’s role, in my opinion, can be performed with serenity only in case of an adequate professional preparation, which results in objective truth. Based on my personal experience every time graphologists can demonstrate on a technical level the truthfulness of an signature, both sides in the lawsuit accept it in the majority cases.
Of course ethics are fundamental, Alessandra, but the major responsibility of graphologists, I repeat, is their professional expertise and their ability to be more empiric than theoretical in their assessment of evidence. The professional background of a forensic graphologist must also include a number of other competencies and abilities such as:

• The knowledge of the law (civil and penal)
  
• The ability to interact with clients, judges and lawyers
  
• The ability to observe with a scientific aptitude
  
• The ability to argufy and debate
  
• A balanced personality able to bear the high court stress, therefore emotional individuals are not recommended to join this profession.
  

Lidia, what inspired you to become a graphologist? How has your career evolved?

My interest in graphology started when I was a psychology student at the university, for me psychology and graphology walked hand in hand, though psychology was my main passion in all its aspects (social psychology, personality tests, clinical tests, etc.)
I came to know the graphology system created by the Italian Girolamo Moretti in the 70s: it was a real brainwave due to its psychological depth (while before I had read something about graphology but without interest). This method is very complex, based on the interpretation of about 80 signs (described in my book Tratti di personalità nella scrittura) (2).
Concurrently I met Giovanni Luisetto, director of the library of the Saint Anthony Cathedral in Padua and the main student of Moretti. Luisetto was very famous in Padua for being a man of great culture and for his astonishing graphology skills. Thanks to this encounter, crucial for my life, I was able to enjoy the best preparation and become a recognised expert in the Moretti method.


What is the difference between the Moretti method and the other graphology methods? Why do you favour the Moretti one?

The beauty of the Moretti method is due to its psychological complexity, each sign refers to a specific intellectual quality, which is reflected in an individual’s behaviour. Moretti’s genius lies in his ability to decode the personality traits in 80 handwriting signs and through the decoding of these signs to identify the core structure of a person’s personality. Additionally this method allows the detection of trends or the early signs of progressive psychological problems such as depression or the inability to manage interpersonal relationships in the family, at school or at work.


You are the director of the Moretti graphology school of Padua, what types of courses do you provide and who are your pupils?

The school has been founded to meet the requests of people who, after visiting my website (3), asked to learn the Moretti’s method of graphology.
It is a three-year course for people who want to really know human nature and to see beyond appearances.
Among our students, who are normally over thirty, I recall psychologists, lawyers, teachers and people employed in various companies and in the technology industry.

       

You said that a degree in psychology should be part of a graphologist’s professional preparation. So, what about the students who follow graphology schools or courses without gaining a degree in psychology?

You are right, Alessandra, graphology classes are open to everybody, but for the students who have not gained a degree in psychology, I do not see the possibility to practice as professional graphologists in the short term, mainly due to the following reasons:

The training that is required to be a registered psychologist is long and complex, while people assume there are shortcuts for candidate professional graphologists. Therefore, the three-year graphology courses that promise an immediate professional solution, in reality they generate an inner blockage because students, though deeply fascinated by this discipline, realise by themselves that graphology is much more complicated than it looked like at the start…


What impact has graphology had in your life?

An enormous impact, because thanks to my knowledge of graphology, I learnt to see beyond appearances.
Luisetto wrote in one of his books “The scandal or the wonder of people towards other people’s behaviour is the measure of misery”: if we do not understand the other, then we are scandalized or we wonder about what the other does. On the contrary, if we have a mind able to go beyond appearance, we would understand the weakness or the genius of his/her personality, which drove him/her to do what he/she has done.
Let me make a practical but resounding example of what Moretti meant with “misery”: please see below a hand-writing sample by Eric Robert Rudolph (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Rudolph), the American terrorist, perpetrator of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta during the 1996 Summer Olympics, amongst other terrorist crimes in the States.

          Hand-writing di Eric Robert Rudolph, American terrorist

With this handwriting we can identify his state of psychological dispersion, in which his mental and emotional vacuum prevails. Then, for him the only way to show his presence in the world is a strong and explosive action. When we think of a terrorist, it’s natural to imagine a violent and aggressive individual, while in this case we find a person psychologically empty and dissociated. Of course understanding all this about this terrorist does not mean justifying his actions.


I have read and enjoyed some of your books; could you please share which topics you write about and what link they have with graphology.
Please share with us something about your beautiful book I “Why opposites attract each other and why likes understand each other?”

My books reflect my desire to share the graphology system created by Girolamo Moretti in order to highlight its areas of potential usage. For this reason I mention first my graphology manual (2012) (2), which suits graphology specialists and new beginners. Each chapter focuses on a specific dimensions of the psyche and it explains how each personality trait is analysed at graphological level (4).

After the manual I started to write books on specific topics, for example a book about love bonds and the book you have just mentioned. A typical example is related to the extroverts and the introverts: most people have some traits of an introvert and some of an extrovert, but only a few are total introverts. In a similar way only a few individuals are so attracted by the external world that they ignore their inner voice: they are the extroverts. Every love relationship follows this principle: the other attracts us because he/she represents a challenge to our own kind of being.
This book illustrates some gender differences that influence the laws of attraction and compensation. The first main difference – today validated by the neurological research – is the female ability to build relationships and connect, while men are more oriented to develop their uniqueness, a function called identification process. Relationship and identification are psychic opposites that produce a great mutual attraction, which is clearly identifiable in handwriting.


What will your next book be about?

I am about to publish a study about sexuality and graphology; it’s a psychological analysis of sexual attractions in its different forms, that go from passion to eroticism, to languid affection and to attraction to harmony of forms. This book explores through graphology the gender differences in sexual behaviour. I am glad to share what touched me most about my analysis results and some examples of the examined handwritings:

With this book I try to demonstrate how powerful it is when the Moretti graphology is applied to such a complex subject as human sexual behaviour: it allows us to identify the different psychological and motivational hues belonging to human beings. I consider this research my homage to the magnificence of creation.


Very interesting Lidia, I hope our readership doesn’t mind this long conversation ... One last question: which of your dreams have not yet come true?

My greatest dream, from which all my desires originate, is that life surprises me again and again, like when I was young: feeling the enchantment of new discoveries and further inner development.
At a professional level I am still fascinated by all the potential applications of graphology in other disciplines such as sociology and psycho-diagnosis (the latter in the field of the forensic sciences).
I hope that one day graphology can be as respected as Freud and Jung are nowadays in psychology: can you believe, Alessandra, that Freud and Jung were not included in the psychology curriculum at Padua University (nor were they in the US universities curricula) because their hypothesis were not considered valid enough according to the scientific standards of that time (6)?



REFERENCES

1. Sherlock Holmes: Gioco di Ombre (2011), regia di Guy Ritchie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPKEzEnDKK0

Sherlock Holmes: Are you familiar with the study of graphology?
Professor James Moriarty: I’ve never given it any serious thought, no.
Sherlock Holmes: The psychological analysis of handwriting. The upward strokes on the ‘p’, the ‘j’, the ‘m’, indicate a genius level intellect, while the flourishes in the lower zone denote a highly creative, yet meticulous nature, but if one observers the overall slant and the pressure of the writing, there’s suggestion of acute narcissism, a complete lack of empathy, and a pronounced inclination toward moral insanity.

2. Lidia Fogarolo’s books have been translated into English and the “Personality Traits in Handwriting” Manual will be published by the year end. Some chapters in English are available on her website: www.graphology.it

3. Website in Italian www.grafologiamorettiana.it Website in English www.graphology.it

This manual is completed by another book (“Il segno grafologico come sintesi psicologica” - 2011), more detailed about the Moretti method. This is indicated for readers who already have some basic knowledge of graphology.

4. Lidia Fogarolo’s book on sexuality and graphology ( “Grafologia e sessualità. Un’analisi psicologica, sociale e culturale del comportamento sessuale”). Napoleon. “Whoever has been in love, knows its effect of stupefaction, the feeling of lost borders and the insane obsession towards the qualities perceived in the other.”

5. The concept of the unconscious – Freud’s great intuition – in the early 1900s was considered located in a specific area of the human brain. The unconscious has never been scientifically spotted and located, but it nevertheless became part of the official psychology when it was possible to demonstrate that the unconscious influences our behaviour.

Short Biography

Lidia Fogarolo graduated in psychology and specialised in graphology. She is an expert forensic graphologist and consultant in court. She is also the director of the graphology school in Padua. She has published many articles and books in Italian. Her books have been translated into English and she is looking for a publisher abroad. Contacts Lidia Fogarolo Psychologist, Graphologist Forensic Handwriting Expert and Questioned Document Examiner Director of Morettian Graphology School in Padua (Italy) Writer lidia.fogarolo@graphology.it http: //www.graphology.it http: //www.grafologiamorettiana.it

Dr. Laura Pellò Gynaecologist

Dr. Pellò, how has women’s overall approach to their health changed in recent years?
What might be the main reasons for this change?

Everybody, not just women, is changing their approach to what we call today “health”. Health is seen as a global form of wellbeing, where medical sciences are only a contribution, and where life style, nutrition and psychological wellbeing are other important contributions.
There are many reasons for this new holistic approach: a much wider diffusion of information, much closer interpersonal communications, and the inputs via the media.
Medical and paramedical personnel have also changed their approach to their profession, and even their training is much more responsive to a global view of patients.


You have been successfully working in several countries and are now practicing in Brussels: have you noticed many differences in women’s attitude to their health across countries? Can you provide some examples or anecdotes?

Every day I continue to be confronted with great differences in the attitude of women to their health, depending on their culture and traditions and also increasingly on the generation to which they belong, but certainly the most evident differences I have noticed are related to women’s country of origin.

I do not believe in stereotypes, however I remarked some common traits in behaviour among women coming from different geographical zones; for example my patients from North Europe seem less emotional than the ones from Southern Europe, ladies from Eastern Europe tend to follow my advice and the prescribed therapies more diligently, maybe because they have been used to respect “authority” in their country of origin and they attribute authority to competent professionals.
Another difference resides in generations: amongst the younger generations I remarked that women belonging to generations 80s/90s are more self-confident in relation to their body and their health, therefore it’s easier to have a dialogue and to be on the same wavelength with them.
Nationality and age are not the only elements that affect the attitude to health; culture and the relationship between the generations are also important factor. The dialogue between mothers and daughters, between teachers and pupils, often also between friends and colleagues, become important elements of change in attitude.
In this context, Brussels offers a great variety of experiences, which are also opportunities to challenge and re-orient my own way of practicing gynaecology.


Have men also changed their attitude to women’s health in your opinion?

How has women’s approach to their health modified their attitude to their gynaecological well-being? Is it a mind-shift or?

Today, in their relationship with a trusted gynaecologist, women address practically all their health problems. To a certain extent, a gynaecologist is seen as the medical doctor in charge of the overall wellbeing of a woman, almost as a general practitioner.

In the past, women used to see a gynaecologist only in the case of a pregnancy or of serious pathologies. For other problems, there was more reluctance to open up to a gynaecologist. For instance women had a widespread idea that after menopause there was no longer a reason for check-ups. Moreover, the quasi totality of male gynaecologists meant that women would not discuss their more delicate, complex or intimate health problems.


How has women’s relationship with their gynaecologist evolved? Do you see female patients of all ages?

Indeed that relationship has changed because women have changed and because we, doctors, have changed too.
I have started to work as a gynaecologist about thirty years ago. At the start of my activity, I would normally deal only with pregnancies, deliveries, fibroids, cancers, endocrinology related problems and birth control. The typical age of my patients ranged from eighteen to sixty years.
Today I see women of all ages: from young girls of twelve, who wish to be reassured about their periods, to eighty year old ladies, who want to continue preventive care against cancer or against osteoporosis. All this could also be explained by the fact that today women have much longer lives, that contraception starts very early, and that the importance of preventive care is clearly understood.
I would however like to point out once more that Brussels is a privileged place of observation. Belgium, in fact, has in my view a public health system of very high quality, together with easy access to medical assistance and relatively low costs. Clearly, in such conditions, patients are led to consult doctors more easily and regularly. This is not always the case in other countries, including many other European countries.


In your experience do patients talk about sex and sex issues to their trusted gynaecologist or is this a topic for a psychologist?
If so, how have women changed their attitude towards sex and their femininity?

Sex and sexuality are still taboos, at least in my experience: it is very seldom that patients consult me about any sexual problems.
It may happen that patients - during a consultation about contraception methods or menopause – mention sexual problems, but it’s mostly up to me to sense that behind their pathology there might be a latent sexual issue.
I believe that women still consider sex/sexuality as a topic to face with psychologists or a psychotherapist.


What are the main focus areas for a gynaecologist nowadays? How do you see the future evolution of the gynaecology?

The main challenges which Gynaecology faces today are the treatment of sterility and the prevention and treatment of gynaecological cancers (especially the most aggressive forms of breast and ovarian cancer). It is in this context that I can see both continuity and evolution in my profession, without however losing sight of the overall vision of women, and of the global approach I was referring to before, regarding the multiplicity of problems that need to be faced in the wellbeing of women.

Dr. Pellò, I have heard that (breast) cancer is increasing in the western countries, is it true?

Recent statistics - available just for western countries - show that one woman in eight is affected by breast cancer in the course of her life. The latest figures from Italy (1), for example, show 48,000 cases of primary breast cancer in 2013.
This pathology is however quite vast with a large variety of cellular typologies. We know today that genes and receptors play a fundamental role both in the development and in the treatment of these forms of disease, and that it will soon be possible to build a “personalised” therapy for each patient. By "personalised” medicine we mean a specific medical approach that proposes the customization of healthcare tailored to the individual patient and to the genetic information of their disease. This medical model includes all the aspects of healthcare, such as the pharmacological and surgical ones, prevention and follow-up. Personalised medicine is a modern reality, which will soon be widespread and widely accessible. Women are today well informed and strongly motivated in their relationship with preventive care.
The statistical increase – globally - in the incidence of all types of gynaecological cancers should be read in the context of an earlier diagnosis and of a more effective preventive screening. The survival rate, five years after first diagnosis, is estimated today at 87%. Moreover, an early diagnosis allows a more conservative type of surgical intervention.


Laura, what has inspired you to become a doctor and a gynaecologist? Tell us about your career.
What do you like most about your profession and why?

Once I made up my mind to become a physician, it was obvious to me that I should become a gynaecologist. My grandmother and great grandmother were midwives.I was also involved, from an early age, with women's movements in a social and political dimension, so I could not have taken a different orientation in my medical profession.
In my career I can distinguish three phases so far:

• The hospital and surgery phase at the beginning, where the relationship with women patients was very brief or non-existent
• The second phase, in which I consolidated my competencies and I had the opportunity to teach at the university, was a very pleasant period
• The third phase has been very difficult to accept because at first it seemed to me that clinical consultation was a boring and routine job … but now I have patients of various nationalities, “entire families” (grandmother, mother, daughter, aunt, sister-in-law, daughter-in-law), groups of friends or colleagues, patients whom I have treated for over twenty years and whom I have seen growing up and getting older: it’s fabulous and very enjoyable.
  

Together with my patients I have developed professionally too, thanks also to the excellent team work enabled by the hospital in which I practice.

In terms of career, is it still harder for a female doctor (than a male) to progress through the professional ranks of doctors in a hospital? Are the hospital boards still a man’s domain?
I think that this form of (negative) discrimination has now become much less pronounced. The number of female doctors is constantly increasing and women's representation in medical boards has reached relatively high levels, which put them at the same level, practically, with men. As for combining a difficult job (and indeed the medical profession is difficult) with a family life, women in medicine face the same difficulties as many other modern women.


What would you recommend to a young female doctor who wants to become a gynaecologist?

I advise the young generations of practitioners to be strongly motivated to face the hardship of a very long training, and they are generally very well trained.
I would recommend that they develop that subtle capacity for empathy that would distinguish them from their male colleagues: that "special touch" that makes them feel closer to fellow women. I think that this sense of female feeling, irrespective of the area they choose, for instance Obstetrics or Oncology, will make them go that extra mile that makes them good and successful professionals.


What advice about health would you like to give to our readership?

I would advise them to listen carefully to their doctor, and to build with him/her a relationship of mutual trust, avoiding the Internet, blogs, and social media (as sources of medical advice).
To conclude, I would also recommend to readers to take good quality and regular preventive care!

Short Biography

Laura Pellò obtained her degree in General Medicine at the University of Milan (IT) in 1981. She then moved to the University of Oxford (UK) for her postgraduate studies in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. After a few years as a lecturer at the University of Leuven (BE), she has been practising as a gynaecologist in Brussels for more than twenty years. She has also been consultant for the World Health Organisation. Dr Pellò is married with two children. Contact Details Dr. Laura PELLÒ Gynaecology Oncology laura.pello@chirec.be CHIREC Hospitals, Clinique du Parc Leopold Rue Froissart, 38 1040 Bruxelles

Any views and opinions presented in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Università Popolare Magna Carta, nor do they constitute a legally binding agreement.

Any views and opinions presented in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of University of the Highlands and Islands, nor do they constitute a legally binding agreement.

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