Sex Ratio during Medical Studies and Specialty Training

Abstract

Gibis et al. conducted a comprehensive survey of the career expectations of medical students, which provided outstanding insights into the possible future professional world of doctors in Germany (1). The preferences expressed by women and men regarding future medical specialty training differ notably for some specialties. However, only when also considering the sex ratio in the population itself allows being able to analyze the effects of specialty training preferences of both sexes on the individual medical specialties. Using this approach it becomes obvious that, owing to the fact that about two-thirds (64% in the survey) of medical students are female, a high proportion of women is to be expected for some specialties, such as gynecology (over 90%) and dermatology and pediatrics (both about 75%). This entails the potential of particular challenges for these specialties (2– 4). With an estimated future proportion of women of about 50%, the traditional “male domains”, i.e., urology, orthopedics, and radiology, are likely to become the specialties with the most evenly balanced sex ratio.