Balancing Motherhood and Academic Ambitions

“On one hand, I am a mother and want to fulfill that role. On the other hand, I have the ambition to work academically qualified as a woman,” says Dr. Marieke Jüttner (40). While this may sound simple, it is often not the case. Her insights stem from personal experiences and observations in her environment. For her, equality is an extremely important issue. She is actively involved as the deputy chair of the Senate Committee for Equality and as the equality officer for the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine.

Dr. Jüttner and her husband live together in a blended family with five children, the youngest being seven and three years old. “We were very fortunate to secure a spot in the MHH daycare, Campuskinder, for both of them,” the anesthesiologist reports. “Since my husband and I both work shift and on-call duties, it wouldn’t have worked otherwise.” Thanks to the daycare’s flexible hours, Dr. Marieke Jüttner was able to return to work early, at 80 to 95 percent capacity.

Equality Is Not Divisive

“The support services for family-friendly policies need to be better known,” Dr. Jüttner is convinced. To achieve this, she is active in the Committee for Equality (KfG). This twelve-member body, which includes representatives from all professional groups and students, advises and supports the presidency and the equality officer in implementing the equality plan. Additionally, the KfG serves as an advisory board for the Ina-Pichlmayr Mentoring Program, the Ellen Schmidt Program, and the Family-LOM initiative.

An equality officer in a clinic? This is a unique feature of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine at MHH. The idea came from Dr. Jüttner, and her supervisor, Professor Koppert, made it possible. “It’s about academic support, fostering a gender-sensitive culture and language, and creating a transparent process for job allocation and promotion,” explains the anesthesiologist. This approach has been well received overall. “We have found in the clinic that equality is not divisive. On the contrary, it concerns both women and men. There are also men who want to experience extensive parental leave. Everyone benefits from family-friendly work structures.”

Text: Tina Götting