The story explored the potential reasons why women doctors continue to go into primary care, while men increasingly flee to specialties. Reasons ranged from a lack of female mentors in specialties and the failure of specialty training to accommodate for women’s childbearing years, to possible gender differences in attitude that might affect the type of medicine one prefers.
The article also examined what the trend means for the future of primary care, which many internists believe will suffer a shortage of doctors in the near future. Some thought the trend could exacerbate the physician shortfall, as women doctors are paid less for equal work, and may thus drive down the average salary and make the job less attractive. Others thought quality of care would improve because women doctors often have more direct experience with being patients themselves.