Women docs spend more time with patients but earn less

Female doctors spend more time caring for patients while earning less than their male peers. A report in the Canadian Family Physician journal found a 13.5% pay gap between male and female physicians, noting that women in family medicine spend up to 20% more time with patients. “Current payment models do not account for time spent,” says Dr. Boris Kralj, an adjunct assistant professor at the McMaster University Department of Economics and the Centre for Health Economic and Policy Analysis, “potentially structurally disadvantaging female physicians in terms of overall earnings.” The Ontario Medical Association notes that the gap — estimated at about $45,500 annually, or two hours per day — could be significantly reduced if fee structures were amended to include time-based payments, and compensation was tied to patient outcomes rather than volume.