Sheena Morgan
Head of Doctors, Medforce
Women in the Irish healthcare sector — joining from all over the world — should be more celebrated for their skill, dedication and resilience.
Sheena Morgan, Head of Doctors at healthcare recruitment specialist Medforce, is ceaselessly impressed by the skill, dedication and bravery of the female healthcare professionals she recruits.
International medical recruitment specialist
Sheena places non-consultant and consultant-level doctors in Irish hospitals across specialties, often recruiting talented women from overseas. “They come from countries such as Pakistan, Sudan and South Africa, to name a few,” she explains.
“I think it’s incredibly brave of these young, single women to leave their families behind to start a new job in an entirely different culture. Some come from war-torn countries and are looking for a better life for themselves and their children in a safe place with a good education system. We help make their journey as simple as possible both from a compliance and an individual support perspective.”
The sector is constantly modernising and
offering inclusive opportunities. So, more
female leaders will be coming through.
Helping female health professionals find fulfilling careers
Globally, women in the healthcare profession still face challenges. “They can experience conscious or unconscious gender bias,” says Sheena. “Also, some specialist roles tend to be male-dominated as generally women with family responsibilities seek roles with a better work life balance. That said, the sector is constantly modernising and offering inclusive opportunities. So, more female leaders will be coming through.
Women — at all levels of seniority and all areas of healthcare — have so much to give the profession, says Sheena. “They are resilient, compassionate and good communicators,” she notes. “Doctors often tell me that when female leaders are included within a team, issues are resolved more quickly.”
Sheena, with a deep understanding of healthcare issues, finds joy in aiding individuals to secure new roles and empowering their success. She describes herself as more of a partner or collaborator. “For example, years ago, I helped a doctor from Africa find a job in Ireland as a registrar,” she remembers. “She’s now a consultant who contacted me to say, ‘Sheena, you changed my life!’ It’s that sort of thing that’s special — and makes my job feel fulfilling.”