THE GENDER PAY GAP IN OPHTHALMOLOGY

In Canada, it is thought that there is a greater pay gap between genders in the ophthalmology sector than in any other speciality group. Data accumulated by Felfeli and colleagues found that between 1992 and 2018, male ophthalmologists in Ontario generally received a 17% higher income than female ophthalmologists.

“The trends identified suggest that female ophthalmologists are comparatively productive to male ophthalmologists, but despite this, disparity in median payments for female ophthalmologists exists and is more prominent than in any other specialty groups” Felfeli and co explained.

In the US and the UK, the trend is similar. A survey from 684 US Ophthalmologists in 2020 suggested that women are paid 10.6% lower than their male counterparts. Suggestions for why this extend from women being less likely to negotiate their wage, to men being in more higher paying roles.

The Pay Gap for Women in Medicine and Academic Medicine, details data from 1,160 doctors including Ophthalmologists. It reported that Ophthalmology specialists in the UK have the second largest gender pay gap than other speciality groups at 30%. This is taking into account factors such as maternity leave, fewer years of experience and less chances to get high profile roles, yet the disparity between male and female wages are still high.

So the data suggests there is a gender pay gap on the clinical side of Ophthalmology but how about for all the companies that manufacture medical devices & pharma which supply the Ophthalmologists?