New Medscape report finds that twice as many female doctors report their career has affected decisions on having children compared to their male counterparts
Work-life balance the most pressing issue for doctors, regardless of gender or age
LONDON, Oct. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The UK Doctors' Gender Divide Report 2021 from Medscape has found that juggling work and parenting is still predominantly an issue for female doctors, but the majority of doctors report that balancing work and personal life is their most pressing concern.
The report released today also found that twice as many female doctors as males said that their career had affected the number of children they chose to have, or whether to have children, (49% vs 24%). Many parents reported that having children would have hampered their career progression, with some doctors noting that it was 'discouraged' early in their career and that 'having a child during training years would have been career suicide'.
The research, involving 1,048 practising UK Medscape and Univadis member doctors (49% male and 50% female), investigated the impact of gender on career and personal decisions, professional opportunities, work-life balance, and pay. The report also explored the impact of gender bias on work, and how the Covid-19 pandemic has influenced doctors' perspectives on their career and home life. The survey was conducted between April and August 2021.
For the full report, click here: http://medscape.com/uk-gender-gap-report-2021
Work-Life Balance Compromises Family Life
Around 80% of male and female doctors said that work-life balance was the issue that impacted their lives the most. Nearly all, (93%) of respondents said that they had made compromises in their family or personal life due to work demands, and the percentages were similar regardless of gender (90% of men and 96% of women), whether doctors were under or over age 45, or whether or not they had children.
However, when asked about prioritising responsibility for unexpected childcare issues, such as when a child was unwell, 1 in 5 (22%) respondents reported it was the female partner who would leave work, rather than the parent closer to childcare/home, on lower pay/less senior, or working part-time. Only 1 in 5 (20%) alternated or shared this responsibility equally.
The Impact of Gender Bias
The report found that gender bias can undermine the confidence of female doctors and can limit their career progression. Women responding to the survey were 10 times more likely to be mistaken as a nurse, compared to their male counterparts (41% vs 4%), with female physicians under 45-years-old twice as likely to experience this compared to those over-45 (62% vs 30%.)
Female doctors are also about twice as likely to often (4% vs 2%) or sometimes (51% vs 28%) feel physically insecure in the presence of some of their patients compared to their male counterparts, with younger doctors being more affected.
Additionally, more than two-thirds (68%) of male doctors feel confident or very confident in taking leadership / supervisory roles, versus only 50% of female doctors.
Gender also has a negative or very negative impact on promotion chances, with 32% of women vs 9% of men, indicating that it has limited their opportunities and their earning potential (34% of women compared with 7% of men).
The Burden of Fighting the Pandemic
Pressure associated with working through the pandemic has impacted how doctors view their profession, with two-thirds of respondents (67% and 68% of males and females respectively) noting it has made them think differently about their career, specifically prioritising family life. Some doctors noted that 'life is too short' and 'home life/family is the most important thing'.
For more findings, view the full report on Medscape: http://medscape.com/uk-gender-gap-report-2021
About Medscape's UK Doctors' Gender Divide Report 2021
Medscape conducted a survey of 1,048 practising UK Medscape and Univadis member doctors, with respondents broken down as follows:
- Male: 49%
- Female: 50%
- Prefer to self-describe: 1%
- Full-time: 68%
- Part-time: 32%
The recruitment period for conducting this survey was from 20th April to 15th August 2021.
The findings from this report are based on unweighted data, collected from a random sampling of Medscape and Univadis members, and are not necessarily projectable to a larger population.
About Medscape
Medscape is the leading source of clinical news, health information, and point-of-care tools for healthcare professionals. Medscape offers specialists, primary care doctors, and other health professionals the most robust and integrated medical information and educational tools. Medscape Education (medscape.org) is the leading destination for continuous professional development, consisting of more than 30 specialty-focused destinations offering thousands of free C.M.E. and C.E. courses and other educational programs for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
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