In a groundbreaking shift, recent figures reveal that there are now more female doctors than male doctors in the UK. The General Medical Council (GMC) has reported that, for the first time, the number of women on the medical register has surpassed that of men. Although the numbers vary across different regions within the UK, with women making up 50.04% of the register, this marks a significant milestone.
One of the key contributing factors to this shift has been the increasing number of women enrolling in medical schools across the UK. Since 2018/19, there has been a consistent trend of more female medical students compared to their male counterparts in each of the four nations, according to the GMC. This is a stark contrast to the situation over a century ago when there were hardly any female doctors registered in 1859. The numbers have steadily risen over the years, with a notable surge from the 1970s onwards.
Currently, the distribution of female doctors across the UK varies, with more women working as doctors in Scotland and Northern Ireland compared to England and Wales, as highlighted by the GMC. Certain medical specialties also exhibit a gender disparity, with obstetrics and gynaecology as well as paediatrics having a higher proportion of women doctors, while surgery, ophthalmology, and emergency medicine have fewer female practitioners. Additionally, the data shows that there is a higher percentage of female GPs in the UK, making up 57.7% of the workforce.
Professor Dame Carrie MacEwen, chairwoman of the GMC and a consultant ophthalmologist, emphasized the significance of the changing demographics within the medical workforce, noting that diversity will ultimately benefit patients. However, she acknowledged that women pursuing careers in medicine continue to face challenges that need to be addressed. Dr. Latifa Patel, chairwoman of the British Medical Association representative body, stressed the importance of retaining women doctors in the workplace and ensuring their professional fulfillment. Professor Scarlett McNally, president of the Medical Women’s Federation and a surgeon, expressed the need to celebrate this monumental shift in the medical profession
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