Disparities remain in specialisms including surgery and opthalmology (Image: Getty)
The majority of doctors in the UK are now women for the first time since the medical register opened in 1871. Some 164,440 women are registered with a licence to practise, compared with 164,195 men, the General Medical Council said. The proportion of doctors who are female has been increasing since 2015, with female medical students outnumbering males in all four corners of the UK since 2018/19.
Professor Dame Carrie MacEwen, chair of the GMC and a consultant ophthalmologist, described the change as “a significant milestone”. She added: “The demographics of the medical workforce are rapidly changing, and that diversity will benefit patients. It is vital that every doctor is valued, irrespective of their gender, ethnicity or any other characteristic.
Don’t miss…
“But women training for careers in medicine continue to face challenges that must be acknowledged and tackled.
“And for those women already working as doctors there is still work to do to create supportive and inclusive workplaces, and to ensure they have access to progression opportunities, including leadership roles, so that they can have long and fulfilling careers in medicine.”
The proportion of female medics in the workforce was highest in , accounting for 54.8% of doctors. Women accounted for 53.5% of doctors in , 49.7% in , and 47.3% in .
Women were most likely to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology (63% female, 37% male) and paediatrics (60.8% female, 39.2% male). There are also more licensed female GPs (57.7% female, 42.3% male).
The specialties with the lowest proportion of women were (16.9% female, 83.1% male), ophthalmology (35.1% female, 64.9% male) and emergency medicine (37.1% female, 62.9% male).
Don’t miss…
The British Medical Association and Medical Women’s Federation called for continued action to combat issues including sexism and sexual harassment, and ensure women can progress their careers through maternity and while balancing work with childcare.
Dr Latifa Patel, Chair of the BMA Representative Body, said: “When you look more closely at the figures, we see huge variations in the type of medical specialties women doctors go into – the majority choosing to be a GP or paediatrician – but very few are choosing surgery.
“These disparities are not acceptable for career progression, or for patient care as all patients should be able to benefit from the skills and expertise of a female doctor as well as a male one.”
Professor Scarlett McNally, president of the Medical Women’s Federation and a surgeon, added: “This huge change should be celebrated.
“The public should respect the doctor and ask her about their treatment options. We must all value women doctors as an excellent untapped talent and stop waiting for a mythical knight in shining armour.”