Women in the Medical Field
- lawpioneerscontact
- Jun 17, 2023
- 3 min read
The gender pay gap
Nearly 76% of Healthcare jobs consist of women, yet gender discrimination and the wage gap continues to prevail. In order to reduce gender discrimination, it’s necessary to provide women with support and encouragement to introduce leadership positions in the medical field. An abundance of the medical field is in the hands of women and despite the monumental efforts made by various institutions to restore equality, gender still acts as a barrier.
Studies in relation to discrimination
Despite the widespread trend of continual growth for women in leadership positions, studies show that the higher the position they obtain, the more the wage gap becomes prevalent. The gender wage gap has lessened throughout the years due to expansion of resources, but there is still work to be done in order to terminate wage gaps as a whole. Despite the immense amount of change in gender roles due to the Women’s Rights Movement, women are paid $2 million less than males by the conclusion of their careers, as published in a January 2022 study. Regardless of proven statistics, some believe that the gender pay gap is nonexistent due to the difference in specialities between men and women. Inversely, in a 2013 study, it was found that women in radiology made 20% less than men did, despite having matching positions (Academic Medicine). While women are given higher, more respectable positions in the healthcare field, studies still show that they make less than a man's salary. The gender pay gap has been a pressing and outstanding issue for decades due to occupational isolation in relation to gender. Why is this? How could this be when there is an Equal Pay Act of 1963, granting both genders equal pay? As women are oftentimes not granted leadership positions due to gender, the workplace is much more demanding and laborious in comparison to men.
Gender roles and its effect on women in the workplace
A great deal of men in healthcare tend to become orthopedic surgeons, instigating a higher pay in general, which may account for the expanding pay gap. Men often negotiate salary, while women will accept an offer they receive without debate. As a consequence of societies deeply ingrained gender roles, women are more likely to specialize in pediatrics rather than a more high-paying profession. The effect of gender roles causes women to seem less capable to perform a task than a man. For this reason, it's essential to assist and continue to support women into obtaining senior leadership positions. By composing the correct resources, younger women will be able to effectively navigate the system of the medical field, in return allowing for them to gain experience.
The introduction of new policies/how to help
Internationally, many medical organizations are creating policies that guarantee equal pay in relation to new hires. By initiating this baseline, women will be able to begin their careers at the same level as men, despite the difference in gender. In the future, new generations will be able to close the gender pay gap due to improvements that are beginning today. Additionally, by advocating towards women’s rights through forms such as protesting, creating posters, etc, we can effectively bring light on wage gaps and its impact on women’s lives. “Sometimes it starts with the spark of one leader..'' (AAMC).
References
Paturel, Amy. “Closing the Gender Pay Gap in Medicine.” AAMC, 16 Apr. 2019, https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/closing-gender-pay-gap-medicine.
Bureau, U.S. Census. “Women Hold 76% of All Health Care Jobs, Gaining in Higher-Paying Occupations.” Census.gov, 8 Oct. 2021, https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/08/your-health-care-in-womens-hands.html.“These Women Doctors Are Paid $2m Less than Their Male Counterparts.” World Economic Forum, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/01/gender-pay-gap-medicine-doctors-health/#:~:text=Think%20again.-,Male%20physicians%20in%20the%20US%20earn%20over%20%242%20million%20more,location%20and%20years%20of%20experience.
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