Salary disparity between male and female general surgeons is due to women underestimating their future earning power and differing approaches to salary negotiation, according to a new LA BioMed study.
LA BioMed sent out an anonymous questionnaire to 607 general surgical residents at 19 U.S. programs. More than 70 percent of residents completed the survey, and 44 percent of respondents were female.
Both male and female respondents reported the same working hours expectations, desire to hold leadership positions and interest in pursuing research over 30-year careers.
Here are three things to know:
1. When asked what an ideal salary would be after finishing residency, female surgeons reported an average $30,000 less than men. Over the span of a 30-year career, that amounts to a nearly $1 million difference.
2. Female respondents were significantly less likely than males to feel equipped for salary negotiation. They were also less likely to look for other job offers as a negotiating strategy.
3. Female respondents expected to have more responsibilities at home in terms of their significant others. The surveyed female residents were less likely to be married or have children than their male counterparts.