Last week’s “Wanted: Women” editorial prompted several thought-provoking responses from Medical Edge readers. One, in particular, was . . . well . . . amusing.

“Joe Jancsurak writes ‘women comprise 57% of the total undergrad population.’ So, men comprise 43% of the total undergrad population? Hey, that sounds like the colleges are discriminating against men in the admissions process! Those college officials must be a bunch of anti-man bigots! And from the tone of your article, Mr. Jancsurak, you may be one, too.”

Another reader wrote asking if I was concerned that “only 29% of doctorates in psychology and only 24% of veterinary medical degrees are earned by men.” The short answer is yes, but I don’t happen to write for a magazine read by psychologists and veterinarians.

This one from an electrical engineer left me wondering if engineers today aren’t getting the respect they deserve. The reader writes, “With the outsourcing of engineering jobs to other countries, I do not blame women for not wanting to pursue a career in engineering. Also, engineers in the U.S. are not highly respected like other professions such as doctors, psychologists, lawyers, or professional athletes. If manufacturing still existed in large scale in the U.S., then you would have more kids going into the profession. Also, improving our public school system wouldn’t hurt either.”

But the response that really gained my attention, and I hope yours, too, was from a woman engineer employed by one of the top-tier medical-device manufacturers. The reader writes, “The statistics confirm my experience in engineering. First of all, the transition from high school to a college of engineering is very isolating for women. It is almost like moving into a fraternity. It is hard to find friends. It is not much better at work. I cannot count the number of times I have regretted my decision to choose engineering. If not for the many years of hard work, undergrad, grad school, etc., I would have run away from engineering a long time ago, though I still enjoy the work. American culture does not encourage girls with brains. While in grad school, a professor was conducting a study to figure out why there were almost no American girls in engineering grad school. Most female undergrad engineering students switch majors by their third year. I am from the Middle East, and I am disappointed by the attitude shown here toward women engineers.”

For more on women engineers and women executives in the medical-device industry, please read this month’s Medical Design. And, as always, we welcome your comments and insights. Send yours to joe.jancsurak@penton.com.