Male and female residents in postgraduate medical education – A gender comparative analysis of differences in career perspectives and their conditions in Germany

Aim: This article focuses on the gender-specific career differences of residents in their postgraduate medical education in Germany. In particular the structural obstacles female physicians have to overcome during residency are investigated. Moreover, the study examines the position preferences of male and female physicians in the hospital and in how far occupational self-efficacy corresponds to the interest in a hospital leading position. Methods: The KarMed-Study’s database consists of annual postal surveys throughout the entire residency of medical students, who were in their “Practical Year” in 2008/2009. Descriptive statistics and regression models were used in the analysis. Results: Male and female physicians differ in terms of their preferred work place (hospital, ambulatory care, others), hospital position and working hours. Female physicians prefer part-time work and rarely assume leading positions compared to male physicians. In addition, female physicians, especially those with children, need more time to complete their postgraduate training. Female physicians with children are burdened and disadvantaged more often than their female colleagues without children as well as male physicians in general (e.g. belated start and completion of residency, lower rate of doctorate titles, higher quota of part-time contracts, short-term employment contracts, and higher rates of residency interruption or termination). Besides gender and doctorate title, the occupational self-efficacy expectation has an influence on the preference of leading positions in hospitals. Respondents with a low occupational self-efficacy score are less likely to strive for leading positions with more responsibilities than those with a high score. Conclusion: The results demonstrate clear gender disparities in postgraduate training. Female physicians, especially those with children, are disadvantaged in various areas when compared with their male colleagues. In particular, the low rate of doctorate titles and the low score of self-efficacy expectation are associated negatively with the willingness to aim at leading positions in hospitals. Special measures and programmes should be developed for female physicians to counteract these differences.