Gender Gap in Medicine

A new study was recently released showing that there is still a gender gap in pay between male and female doctors. The study authors analyzed survey data from 4,918 male physicians and 3,315 female physicians right out of residency in NY and even when specialty, hours worked and other factors were accounted for, there was still a difference in pay. I really don't get this. Honestly, I don't. One guy in the article thinks that maybe female physicians are just negotiating "greater flexibility and family-friendly benefits, such as not being on-call after certain hours". In my humble opinion, the beauty of medicine is that you can still make an honest buck and eat what you kill. I choose to work four days a week in the office. I could work five and longer hours and make more but I don't. I get paid in a system where I am rewarded on how many patients I see (imperfect system), how intense the visits are (still imperfect) and what procedures I do (even more imperfect system). Even though the system is imperfect, it is imperfect for my female partner as well. I guess there could be lower salaries negotiated right out of residency by women but after a few years the salaries usually are commensurate with what you earn. Earn. Now that is a great term. For example, here is an article in the USA Today with the title "Young, single, childless women out-earn male counterparts". I guess when the tables are turned the women "earn" more but when the reverse happens and the media wants to push discrimination they state that men are getting "paid" more. Weird, huh?

I fear writing this blog due to the sexist nature and the comments that may follow. Please, go lightly here people. I don't need a dust up. There really can be some good dialogue here if we do this right.