Addressing gender bias and inequality in the medical field

Dr. Rossyani (Rossy) Pfingsttag is the 2024 WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management Women in Business Scholarship winner. Based in Jakarta, Indonesia, she is currently enrolled in the Global Online MBA. She is quick to laugh, down-to-earth, and easy to talk to. With a background in the medical field, Rossy now works for German pharma giant Bayer as an expert in pharmacovigilance (the science of monitoring and preventing adverse effects of drugs). 

“I fell into working in the corporate world by accident,” she explains. “My role is more about compliance. We keep our license to operate because we’re within the compliance area of the ethics code. However, to be more effective in my role, I want to better understand business strategy to bring compliance and strategy together. I want to bridge the gap between the two.”

Being from the medical world, she saw she needed to gain well-rounded business skills to complement her expert knowledge. While very useful in her current industry, she recognized that business acumen would unlock other roles for her. Which prompted her to sign up for an MBA.

The German connection

“I am so glad that an online MBA format exists, as my entire family is based here in Jakarta, and I have a young son. I looked at Germany as I work for a German company with a culture I connect well to. It’s also in my interest to gain insights into the working culture. My husband is also German. Building a network with people there would be similarly advantageous if we move to the country. 

I chose WHU specifically because it has a very positive reputation. You only need to check online to see if it’s among the top-ranked business schools. I also spoke to a student via LinkedIn who was in the previous cohort, and they confirmed what an incredible experience it is. From then on, I knew WHU was the school I wanted to be a part of.”

Gendered expectations

Regarding her application for the WHU Women in Business Scholarship, she approaches difficult experiences from her working life. “In certain clinics, for example, derma or beauty, you are often asked your BMI (Body Mass Index) when applying for a job. This is a widely accepted question, so much so that it’s even in the job advertisement. Sometimes, they ask specifically for applicants to be no older than 35 or look attractive. 

Employers ask personal questions, such as whether you plan to marry or have children. This happened to me when I had signed the contract before I found out I was pregnant. When I informed them, they said the agreement was void. I’ve had experiences where only female leadership was asked how they handled the work/life balance. Or expected to have a busy career and care for the household and the children.”

We discuss how there are also cultural nuances, especially as a woman living in Asia. “As daughters, we are expected to care for our elderly parents,” she explains. “But if we want to chase these global, more senior leadership roles, then that’s the sacrifice women have to make. This is why role models are so important. If I am a younger woman, how can I achieve my goals if I don’t see women in those positions.”

The right role models

While Rossy has undoubtedly had some surprising experiences during her working life, we discuss the positive role models she was lucky to have. “My previous boss is a medical director who moved her entire family around with her. She bucked the trend of what is expected of Asian women – her husband was happy to move with her career, and she was a devoted mother, too. But female mentors are so important – they understand the specific problems women face. The hurdles we have to jump.”

By actively formalizing mentorship programs and acting as a role model in her career, Rossy hopes to help other women in business within WHU and her personal network. “I live in a culture where many people quit their jobs after getting married or having their first child. I am sometimes asked why I am at work while my baby is still small. It’s hard for them to understand that I do it for myself, for my own self-actualization. We don’t ask men this, so why do we ask women?”