The Certification of Women in Internal Medicine and Its Subspecialties

• In Event: An Exploration of Exam and Examinee Performance in Licensure Exams Across the Disciplines

Abstract

Given the increasing shortage of primary care physicians, it is important to understand workforce trends and how to enable better workforce planning. Through the 1980s, the proportion of physicians certified in internal medicine that were women had increased, as did their performance on the internal medicine certification exam. This study examined these trends from 1990 to 2012. Results showed that presently almost half of all residents certifying in internal medicine are women. The percentage of women among physicians certified in internal medicine subspecialties has also increased, particularly in the disciplines offering a work-life balance, like rheumatology. Women perform slightly better on the internal medicine exam, but similar to men on subspecialty exams. Implications for workforce policy are highlighted.

Authors

• Brian J. Hess, Hess Consulting

• Lauren Duhigg, American Board of Internal Medicine

• Rebecca S. Lipner, American Board of Internal Medicine