title: Female Physicians and the Future of Endocrinology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given that approximately 70% of current endocrinology fellows are women, female physicians will compose the majority of the future endocrinology workforce. This gender shift partly reflects an apparent waning of interest in endocrinology among male trainees. It also coincides with a projected shortage of endocrinologists overall. Female physicians face unique challenges in the workplace. To continue to attract trainees to the specialty and support their success, it is imperative that these challenges be recognized, understood, and addressed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A PubMed search using the terms "female physician" and "physician gender" covering the years 2000-2015 was performed. Additional references were identified through review of the citations of the retrieved articles. The following topics were identified as key to understanding the impact of this gender shift: professional satisfaction, work-life balance, income, parenthood, academic success, and patient satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several changes can be predicted to occur as endocrinology becomes a female-predominant specialty. Although professional satisfaction should remain stable, increased burnout rates are likely. Work-life balance challenges will likely be magnified. The combined effects of occupational gender segregation and a gender pay gap are predicted to negatively impact salaries of endocrinologists of both genders. The underrepresentation of women in academic leadership may mean a lesser voice for endocrinology in this arena. Finally, gender biases evident in patient satisfaction measures--commonly used as proxies for quality of care--may disproportionately impact endocrinology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endocrinology is predicted to become the most female-predominant subspecialty of internal medicine. The specialty of endocrinology should take a lead role in advocating for changes that support the success of female physicians. Strengthening and supporting the physician workforce can only serve to attract talented physicians of both genders to the specialty, which will be key to meeting the needs of the increasing numbers of patients with endocrine disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (E.P.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53705; Department of Medicine (A.D.), Division of Endocrinology, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz (Philadelphia VA) Medical Center and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (D.S.C.), The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension (C.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pelley
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (E.P.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53705; Department of Medicine (A.D.), Division of Endocrinology, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz (Philadelphia VA) Medical Center and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (D.S.C.), The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension (C.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danoff
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (E.P.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53705; Department of Medicine (A.D.), Division of Endocrinology, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz (Philadelphia VA) Medical Center and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (D.S.C.), The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension (C.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (E.P.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53705; Department of Medicine (A.D.), Division of Endocrinology, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz (Philadelphia VA) Medical Center and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (D.S.C.), The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension (C.B.), Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology; D004704:Endocrinology / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D009035:Mothers; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000639:trends*