Female doctors earn less than male counterparts

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Sydney, Oct 11 (UNI) Female doctors in Australia earn 10 to 35 per cent less than their male counterparts, a study revealed.

They spend longer time with each patient and have fewer consultations, hence their average annual salary is between 26,000 dollars and 99,000 dollars less than their male colleagues.

Female General Practitioners(GPs) see on an average 3.65 patients an hour, compared with 4.22 by male GPs, according to the Australian GP Statistics and Classification Centre at the University of Sydney, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Generally, the cases female doctors tended to see were more likely to need longer consultations. Patients were also more likely to consult a female doctor if they needed to discuss a health or emotional issue at length.

''It could be menopause issues or any one of a number of patient concerns that may be more time consuming. It doesn't reflect upon the quality of service provided,'' Chairwoman of the Australian Medical Association's NSW council of general practice, Robyn Napier said.

Doctors say the pay gap is due the reluctance of male GPs to share the load of longer consultations.

The president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Vasantha Preetham, said all GPs should be rewarded for spending more time with their patients, irrespective of their sex.

UNI

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