Women in Radiation Oncology: Time to Break Through the Glass Ceiling

Abstract

The participation of women in medicine has increased dramatically in the past several decades. Whereas women constituted only 10% of the US medical student body and only 8% of practicing physicians in 1970, these figures had reached 37% and 17% by 1990. Today, 49% of medical students are female [ 1 American Association of Medical Colleges. Women in U.S. academic medicine statistics and medical school benchmarking 2004-2005. Available at: http://www.aamc.org/members/wim/statistics/stats05/start.htm. Accessed May 1, 2006. Google Scholar ], and 26% of practicing physicians are women [ 2 American Medical Association. Table 1—physicians by gender (excludes students). Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/12912.html. Accessed February 20, 2006. Google Scholar ]. However, concerns have been raised about the low proportion of women in visible, senior positions of leadership in the medical profession. Indeed, only 15% of full professors, 10% of medical school deans, and 11% of department chairs are women [ 1 American Association of Medical Colleges. Women in U.S. academic medicine statistics and medical school benchmarking 2004-2005. Available at: http://www.aamc.org/members/wim/statistics/stats05/start.htm. Accessed May 1, 2006. Google Scholar ], and studies have suggested that women are not advancing at expected rates [ 3 Nonnemaker L. Women physicians in academic medicine: new insights from cohort studies. N Engl J Med. 2000; 342: 399-405 Crossref PubMed Scopus (381) Google Scholar ].