Stereotypes have existed forever: preconceived beliefs about a type of person or group. Stereotypes can refer to different races or cultures, such as Poles or African Americans. For example, stereotypes may say that Americans are lazy, obese, or unintelligent. There are also many gender stereotypes. For example, women are weaker than men or they like to cook more than men or they are better caregivers. This discussion addresses key controversial stereotypes within medical schools and healthcare institutions across America. For centuries, women have faced the challenge of gender inequality within their medical training and profession. Different medical fields in schools, practices and institutions present different types of gender issues. For example, men are criticized for becoming nurses, while women are not considered equipped to become doctors or surgeons. Despite the progress made in equalizing the gender pool in the medical field, typical stereotypes of men and women continue to influence the challenges women face in this chosen profession. There have been many improvements in eliminating unbalanced registration acceptances in medical fields. In 1977, only 8% of women compared to 93% of men became doctors in America (Walsh, ix), while today nearly 47% of women enroll in higher education programs (Broman, Gender Issues in Surgical Training). Additionally, women are choosing more specialized fields in their graduate medical education as part of this struggle. Many women are further participating in this controversy by filing lawsuits. “I had to decide whether I should continue to work under the given circumstances, even though I knew what I knew, or should I fight for what I believed to be right and just? My keen sense of ...... middle of paper ......, 1985. Print.Dr. DesRoches, Catherine. Gender inequalities in the remuneration of university researchers. HRM Guide, April 17, 2010. Web. November 15, 2011.Hainer, Shala. Closing the gender gap in medicine. Womenetics, November 4, 2011. Web. November 15, 2011. Lerserman, Jane. Men and women in medical school: how they change and how they compare. New York, New York: Praeger Publishers, 1981. Print. Reichenbach, Laura and Hilary Brown. “Gender and academic medicine: impacts on health personnel. » National Center for Biotechnology Information 329, 7469 (2004): 792-795. List of journals, BMJ. Internet. November 15, 2011. Smith, ML “'U' Women Still Fight Gender Bias.” » Twin Cities Journal 01A (1989): 255207. News Bank. Internet. November 15, 2011.Walsh, Mary. “Doctors wanted: no women need apply”: gender barriers in the medical profession. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1977. Print.