Women Doctors Hold 55% of US Medical Student Spots but Only 25% of Department Chair Roles
Updated
Updated · The Boston Globe · Aug 18
Women Doctors Hold 55% of US Medical Student Spots but Only 25% of Department Chair Roles
1 articles · Updated · The Boston Globe · Aug 18
Summary
55% of US medical students were women in 2023, yet women held only 25% of department chair posts, underscoring how bullying, discrimination and harassment still block medical leadership.
JAMA studies cited in the report found women deans said they had to work harder to advance while receiving less support, reflecting institutional bias that doctors say also appears in hiring rubrics and assumptions about "chair presence."
Doctors interviewed described sham peer reviews, retaliation and sexual harassment that pushed some women out of leadership or out of medicine entirely, even after years in senior roles.
Physician advocates say the losses now carry systemwide risks because women make up about half the physician pipeline, and forcing them to quit, cut hours or retire early can weaken staffing and patient care.