- UN Women affirms that the gender pay gap is the difference that exists between the payment that a woman and a man receive despite fulfilling the same functions and is a problem that persists in some medical specialties.
- An investigation carried out by the WHO and the ILO affirms that women earn up to 24% less than men in the field of health.
- According to Doximity’s annual report, there are some medical specialties and subspecialties where a high wage gap prevails.
The gender of a person should never be a determining factor in determining their pay in a job. The problem is that there are some medical specialties and subspecialties where the salary gap persists because there are differences between the pay of men and women regardless of whether they have the same position. It is one of the main injustices that seeks to end.
what is the gender wage gap?
According to UN Women the Gender pay gap is the difference between the pay that a woman and a man receive despite fulfilling the same functions. This difference has been identified for centuries but beyond knowing its origin, the important thing is to offer a solution.
For his part, In 2022, the results of a report prepared jointly by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) were presented. What it does mention is that women in the medical field face a larger gender pay gap than in other economic areas. In fact, it is mentioned that, on average, they receive 24 percent less than their male colleagues.
The analysis also mentions that this difference increases when factors such as age, education and experience are considered. This highlights that women are underpaid for their attributes in the labor market compared to men.
Similarly, the report adds that during the Covid-19 pandemic, women played a fundamental role. Both doctors and nurses and other areas were essential for patient care. Despite the above, the improvements with respect to achieving pay equity were minimal.
The medical specialties with the largest wage gap
However, the Doximity portal presented the results of its annual ranking 2023 Physician Compensation Report. The work is based on the annual income received by specialists in the United States, but there is one point that stands out. In some medical specialties and subspecialties the wage gap is too stark.
The first place is controversial because it is not really a medical specialty but a dental one. Is about Oral and maxillofacial surgery because the annual salary for men is $568,789 dollars and for women it is $395,687 dollars. Therefore, men receive $173,102 dollars more even though they occupy the same position and carry out the same functions.
The second position is for a medical subspecialty and corresponds to Urology. Based on what is documented, there is a wage gap of just over $91,000 per year.
In this case, to enter this area, you must first be part of General Surgery, complete at least the first year and then pass Urology, which lasts four years.
While the third rung is for Ophthalmology. It is a direct entry specialty at the ENARM and lasts for three years. According to the report, the wage gap is $81,220.
Finally, the other medical specialties and subspecialties that appear within those with the largest gender pay gap are Pediatric Immunology and Pneumology. Although the research was carried out in the United States, it allows us to know a little about the panorama that prevails within the field of health.
Also read:
Ranking of the medical specialties and subspecialties with the highest salaries (2023 edition)
The most advanced countries in the world in gender equality
Pay inequality in health: Women earn 24% less than men
