Women in MedicineCelebrating Our Past, Present and Future

AMA Women Physicians Congress

AMA Women Physicians CongressAMA Women Physicians Congress Pathways to progress : A quarter-centuryfor the AMA Women in Medicine Program

Women in Medicine -- Where are we now?• 25.2% of US physicians are female• 49% of medical school applicants are female• 10 deans of US medical schools are female • Women physician are in leadership positions throughout the profession and organized medicine

2002, AMA, AAMC

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A Profile of Women in Medicine TodayA Profile of Women in Medicine Today

• More than 62% of female physicians are in 6More than 62% of female physicians are in 6specialties: Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Familyspecialties: Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, FamilyPractice, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Psychiatry, andPractice, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Psychiatry, andAnesthesiologyAnesthesiology

• Female physicians represent about 23% of Female physicians represent about 23% of physiciansphysicians

in Medical Teaching, 16% in Administration, and in Medical Teaching, 16% in Administration, and 18% in Research18% in Research

• 60% of women physicians are under 45 years of age;60% of women physicians are under 45 years of age;40% are 45 or older.40% are 45 or older.

Physicians Characteristics and Distribution in the US, 2004 Edition, American MedicalPhysicians Characteristics and Distribution in the US, 2004 Edition, American MedicalAssociationAssociation

The major growth in the number of women in The major growth in the number of women in medicine has occurred over the past four medicine has occurred over the past four

decades.decades.

Number/Percent of PhysiciansNumber/Percent of Physicians

MALEMALE FEMALEFEMALE19701970 308,627 308,627 92.4% 25,401 25,401 7.6%7.6%19801980 413,395 413,395 88.4% 54,284 54,284 11.6%11.6%19901990 511,227 511,227 83.1%83.1% 104,194 104,194 16.9%16.9%20002000 618,233 618,233 76.0%76.0% 195,537 195,537 24.0%24.0%

AMA Women Physicians CongressAMA Women Physicians Congress

AMA Women Physicians Congress

Women physicians today are ourColleagues Mentors Role Models Teachers Leaders

Women physicians are represented throughout

medicine.

But it wasn’t always this way.

AMA Women Physicians Congress

The progress of women in medicine is a long and

continuingjourney…

There are many pioneeringwomen physicians to thank;Many accomplishments tocelebrate

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Women in Medicine -- A History

1847 Harriet Hunt is the first woman to apply to Harvard Medical School. Her application is rejected.

1849 Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to receive a US medical degree, from Geneva Medical College in New York.

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18641864 Rebecca Lee Crumpler, MD becomes Rebecca Lee Crumpler, MD becomes the first African-American woman to receive the first African-American woman to receive an MD. an MD.

18661866 Ann Preston, MD, is appointed the first Ann Preston, MD, is appointed the first female dean of the Women’s Medical female dean of the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania.College of Pennsylvania.

18681868 Elizabeth Blackwell, MD establishes Elizabeth Blackwell, MD establishes the Women’s Medical College, affiliated with the Women’s Medical College, affiliated with her New York Infirmary. her New York Infirmary.

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1870 University of Michigan becomes the first state medical school to formally admit women.

1876 Sarah Hackett Stevenson, MD is admitted as the first female member of the AMA.

1886 Mary Harris Thompson, MD, founder of the (Chicago) Hospital for Women and Children, later named in her honor, is the first woman to present a scientific paper at an AMA Annual Meeting and the first woman to be published in JAMA.

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1889 Susan La Flesche Picotte, MD graduates and becomes the first Native American woman to receive a medical degree in the US.

1897 Eliza Ann Grier, MD, an emancipated slave, becomes the first African American woman licensed to practice medicine in Georgia.

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By the beginning of the 20th century, the number

of women physicians in the US had increased tomore than 7,000, up from about 200 in 1860.

Nevertheless, women remained a minority inmedicine throughout the 1900s, and the

numberand percentage of women was up and down...

4% of graduates in 190512% in 1949 7% in 1965.

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1915 The Medical Women’s National Association (now known as the American Medical Women’s Association) is founded by Bertha Van Hoosen, MD.

1919 Alice Conklin, MD serves as a delegate from the Illinois State Medical Society, the first female after the 1901 formation of the AMA House of Delegates.

AMA Women Physicians Congress

1943 Margaret Craighill, MD becomes the first woman physician to join the US Military.

1945 Harvard Medical School admits women for the first time.

1947Gerty Cori, MD is the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, sharing the prize with her husband, also an MD.

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1952 Virginia Apgar, MD, the first woman full professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, develops the Apgar Score, the first standardized test used to evaluate newborns.

1960 Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA is the last medical school to admit female students.

1969 Louise C. Gloeckner, MD, of Pennsylvania, is elected AMA vice president, becoming the highest ranking woman physician in the organization to date.

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In 1970, women still were underrepresented considerably in the medical profession,

just under 8% of US physicians. But thepercentage of female physicians was

beginning its steady increase. Ten yearslater, women represented nearly 12% of USphysicians. And the percentage of medicalgraduates who were women nearly tripled

between 1970-1980.

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1979 AMA establishes the ad hoc Committee on Women Physicians to encourage the membership and participation of women physicians throughout organized medicine.

1989 Nancy Dickey, MD is the first women to be elected to the AMA Board of Trustees.

1990 Antonia Novello, MD becomes the first woman and first Hispanic to be appointed US Surgeon General.

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The 1990s saw a dramatic increase in the influence and activism of women physicians.

• The AMA The AMA September Women in Medicine September Women in Medicine Month Month campaign was launched as a national campaign was launched as a national effort. effort.

• AMA issued its ground-breaking report on AMA issued its ground-breaking report on “Gender Disparities in Clinical Decision “Gender Disparities in Clinical Decision Making.”Making.”

• The AMA adopted policy reports, authored The AMA adopted policy reports, authored by the WIM Advisory Panel, on maternity by the WIM Advisory Panel, on maternity leave, child care, sexual harassment, leave, child care, sexual harassment, parental leave, gender neutral language and parental leave, gender neutral language and other issues critical to women in medicine.other issues critical to women in medicine.

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In the 1990’s…The annual AMA Women Physician Leaders

Summitsbegan.

AMWA was admitted to the AMA House ofDelegates. Diana Dell, MD was seated as its firstdelegate.

In 1998, Nancy Dickey, MD was inaugurated as thefirst female president of the AMA.

The AMA Women Physicians Congress is established

by the House of Delegates, a membership-basedadvocacy forum dedicated to WIM issues.

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2000 AMA elects Nancy Nielsen, MD as the firstfemale vice-speaker of the House of Delegates.

2003 Dr. Nielsen is elected speaker, the firstwoman to hold that AMA position.

2004 The 25th Anniversary of the AMA Women in Medicine Program.

AMA Women Physicians Congress

The number of women physicians continues to rise;25.2% of US physicians were female by 2002. Thepercentage of female medical school applicants

reachedan all time high of 49.2 in the 2002-2003 school year.

Does the glass ceiling still exist?

Medical School Faculty Men Women

Professor 31% 10.7%Associate Professor 24.24% 19.3%Assistant Professor 35.9% 50.1%Instructor 7.8% 17.5%Other 0.9% 2.4%

Association of American Medical Colleges Women in US Academic Medicine Statistics2000.

AMA Women Physicians AMA Women Physicians CongressCongress

Become a member today!Become a member today!The goals of the WPC are to:The goals of the WPC are to:

• Increase the number of women Increase the number of women physicians in leadership positions.physicians in leadership positions.

• Provide a forum for mentoring and Provide a forum for mentoring and networking.networking.

• Advance the understanding of sex- & Advance the understanding of sex- & gender-based difference in health.gender-based difference in health.

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goals continued. . .goals continued. . .• Monitor trends and emerging issues Monitor trends and emerging issues

affecting women in the profession.affecting women in the profession.• Increase the membership/participation of Increase the membership/participation of

women in organized medicine.women in organized medicine.• Enhance professional options for Enhance professional options for

balancing personal/career responsibilities.balancing personal/career responsibilities.

Membership is free & open to all interested Membership is free & open to all interested physicians and medical students. Email physicians and medical students. Email wpc@ama-assn.orgwpc@ama-assn.org to join. to join.

AMA Women Physicians AMA Women Physicians CongressCongressHere’s what the WPC does for Here’s what the WPC does for you!you!• Serves as a forum for advocacy on Serves as a forum for advocacy on

women’s health issues.women’s health issues.

• Identifies and addresses your issues Identifies and addresses your issues throughout the life cycle.throughout the life cycle.

• Sponsors events like September Sponsors events like September Women and Medicine Month & Women and Medicine Month & Women Physician Leaders Summits.Women Physician Leaders Summits.

AMA Women Physicians AMA Women Physicians CongressCongresscontinued. . .continued. . .• Distributes timely and relevant Distributes timely and relevant

information to its members.information to its members.

• Provides leadership opportunities for Provides leadership opportunities for the members of the WPC.the members of the WPC.

• Strengthens the number and Strengthens the number and influence of women in organized influence of women in organized medicine.medicine.

This presentation was compiled by the American Medical Association (AMA) Women Physicians Congress (WPC)

and the AMA Archives in Recognition of the 25th Year of the AMA Women

in Medicine Program June 2004

www.ama-assn.org/go/wpc