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Nikki Stamp: Female surgeon feels uncomfortable telling girls they can be one, too

Every time a little girl or a young female student has asked me if she can be a surgeon, I wonder if I'm about to sell her a lie. The answer, of course, is yes, she can - I'm living proof. After all, I finished my specialty training to become one of the minuscule 5 percent of heart and lung surgeons who are female.

But while I think women can do anything, the problem is that the people who think otherwise are often the ones in power with the ability to make or break you. This information is never divulged to young hopefuls.