The Female Medical Leader

The demography of the medical workforce is changing. Women doctors have been the majority entrants to medical schools for over the last two decades, are now 31% of Consultants and 45% of GPs (Ocotber 2012), and are predicted to become the majority of doctors in future1.  They are therefore a significant, valuable and growing part of the medical workforce.

Behind this trend the picture is more complex. Women doctors are under-represented in certain specialties such as cardiology and surgery, and over-represented in posts such as salaried GP. There are relatively few in senior leadership positions such as medical director, and on Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), College Councils and other national committees, although the proportion varies across the country and between organisations.