Women overall, do hold a high number of professional employment positions across many industries, but the ratio is different than men. For example, per Professional Women:Vital Statistics, in 2005, 92% of registered nurses were still women. During that same year, 32% of all physicians/surgeons and 67% of all psychologists were women. This is for all aspects of healthcare, and not hospital-specific. Many organizations employ doctors who utilize their skills, experience, and education other than in the traditional front-line patient care that is often associated with the medical industry.
Women physicians and surgeons earn a shocking 39% less than male doctors and surgeons. What’s even more interesting is that even within female dominated positions, this disparity of wages still exists. For example, 91.6% of registered nurses are female, yet women RNs earn 8% less than their male counterparts. (Professional Women:Vital Statistics) The survey is for healthcare as a whole, and not just hospital-based doctors and nurses. (It was assumed, however, that the exact same number of hours worked was concluded, but this could not be confirmed).
To give some historical data for physicians, according to Professional Women:Vital Statistics in the 1960-61 school year the number of females in medical school was 5.8%. These numbers have improved, and in the 2005-2006 year, it was up to almost 49%. Dentistry has also seen some large improvement for similar time frames. In 1959-1960, dentistry degrees for women were 0.8%, and in 2002-2003 it was 39%.
In recent years, female physicians are starting to choose more specialty careers, which are also higher paying than primary care. In the past, female doctors tended to choose the role of a primary care physician (including pediatrics), which pays less than specialists. In 2005, per the US Department of Labor, physicians made the following average annual pay:
- Surgeons $177,700
- Psychiatrists $146,000
- Family Practitioners $140,400
- Pediatricians $139,230
Therefore, the women physicians earn less just based on specialty or area of practice alone. These are not just hospital doctors, and do include physicians in other patient care treatment centers such as clinics, medical groups, private practice, government practices, such as the VA or County, as well. In a more recent Salary Report from 2009, "Male primary-care physicians make 22% more than lady docs."
Much study and research has been done to help define reasons for the disparity and gaps between men, women and their professional roles. Although this is improving overall, some reasons for the differences between male and female physicians are given by Dr. Scott G. Waterman, who is the College of Medicine Associate Dean of Student Affairs and also an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Vermont. He stated, "There’s an assumption that women will need to balance professional life and home [life]."
On the flip side, he did say that men are starting to think less of "professional gains," and are thinking of family life as well. He further claims that some of the female medical students are choosing areas of medicine that will be "flexible" and allow them time at home as well. He does go on to claim that over half of the medical students are now female. According to Waterman the University of Vermont had 60 women and 37 men graduate in 2006 from their medical program. However, the national figures are less. The national numbers (per the AAMC Faculty Development and Leadership) for 2004-2005 the "national average of female MD graduates is 48%, which is a significant increase based on the 20 percent from around 1977."
Although the opportunities for female physicians has made significant improvements overall, it still has some distance to go. While historically, women have always had a large percentage of employment in the healthcare field, their roles were mostly that of nurses, doctor assistants, and this was only a few decades ago.
Sources
Health Care Gender Roles retrieved on May 15, 2010
Professional Women: Vital Statistics retrieved on May 15, 2010
Salary Report:We’re Still Getting Shortchanged. 16 (Issue 4, 2009, April) Marie Claire, 92.