OUR MISSION
- To support the advancement and leadership of women in academic medicine
- To promote education and research in women’s health
EXTERNAL LINKS
OTHER PUBLICATIONS &
NEWS OF INTEREST
- The Culture of Academic Medicine: Faculty Perceptions of the Lack of Alignment Between Individual and Institutional Values
- Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering
- The Changing Face of Medicine: Women Doctors and the Evolution of Health Care in America
- Improving the Recruitment and Hiring Process for Women Faculty
- Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life
Benchmarks: Gender Statistics
Penn Medicine Benchmark Data
Current Annual Report 2008-2009Since 1999, FOCUS has compiled an annual report, Benchmark Data: Gender Statistics of Faculty, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The report depicts the gender distribution of Penn medical faculty by rank, track, and department. The gender distribution of senior leadership positions and women’s inclusion on key committees is also reported, as well as hiring, promotion and attrition data. Data are drawn from the annual, end-of-year gender and minority report supplied by the Office of Faculty Affairs in the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Benchmark Data also compares University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine statistics with those compiled by the the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) in its annual publication, Women in U.S. Academic Medicine - Statistics and Medical School Benchmarking. The FOCUS annual report is presented annually to Department Chairs and senior leadership.
Twenty years ago, women accounted for 34% of new entrants to medical schools, and they now represent essentially 50% of new entrants (1). Yet, national data indicate that women in academic medicine are less likely to attain promotion and tenure than their male colleagues; are under-represented in leadership positions; and, are significantly over-represented in junior faculty ranks (2). (see Graph-1, Graph-2)
"Pipeline" and cohort studies have shown that the slow advancement of women in medical academia is not due to lack of women in the pipeline over the past 25 years. Rather, other factors function as barriers for women faculty. These issues must be identified and addressed if academic medicine is to benefit from the large pool of talented women that now make up half of all medical students.
As of 2007-08, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine data indicate that Penn is making progress in the promotion and hiring of women faculty, although there is clearly much work to be done so that all faculty can reach their full potential. (see Graph-3, Graph-4)
References
- Association of American Medical Colleges. Women in US Academic Medicine: Statistics and Medical School Benchmarking 2005-6.
- Bickel J., Wara D., Atkinson B.F., et al. Increasing women’s leadership in academic medicine: Report of the AAMC project implementation committee. Acad Med. 2002: 77:1043-61
For additional information, e-mail Patricia Scott, Director of Operations, FOCUS on Health & Leadership for Women