ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Kaplan Sanders, PhD; Yalda Jabbarpour, MD; Julie Phillips, MD, MPH; Sarah Fleischer, MS; Lars E. Peterson, MD, PhD
Corresponding Author: Kaplan Sanders, PhD; Utah Tech University - Department of Accounting, Finance, and Data Analytics
Email: kaplan.sanders@utahtech.edu
DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2023.230218R1
Keywords: Diversity, Family Medicine, Family Physicians, Gender Equity, Policy, Regression Analysis, Surveys and Questionnaires, Wages, Worker's Compensation, Workforce
Dates: Submitted: 06-05-2023; Revised: 09-29-2023; Accepted: 10-09-2023
FINAL PUBLICATION: |HTML| |PDF|
PURPOSE: Numerous studies have documented salary differences between male and female physicians. For many specialties, this wage gap has been explored by controlling for measurable factors that influence pay such as productivity, work-life balance, and practice patterns. In family medicine where practice activities differ widely between physicians, it is important to understand what measurable factors may be contributing to the gender wage gap, so that employers and policy-makers and can address unjust disparities.
METHODS: We used data from the 2017-2020 American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) National Graduate Survey (NGS) which is administered to family physicians three years after residency (N = 8,608; response rate = 63.9%, 56.2% female). The survey collects clinical income and practice patterns. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed, which included variables on hours worked, degree type, principal professional activity, rural/urban, and region.
RESULTS: While early-career family physician incomes averaged $225,278, female respondents reported incomes that were $43,566 (17%) lower than those of male respondents (p = .001). Generally, female respondents tended towards lower-earning principal professional activities and U.S. regions; worked fewer hours (2.9 per week); and tended to work more frequently in urban settings. However, in adjusted models, this gap in income only fell to $31,804 (13% lower than male respondents, p = .001).
CONCLUSION: Even after controlling for measurable factors such as hours worked, degree type, principal professional activity, population density, and region, a significant wage gap persists. Interventions should be taken to eliminate gender bias in wage determinations for family physicians.