A new report published in the Summer issue of Journal of Human Capital found that most women would benefit more financially as physician assistants (PAs) rather than as MDs in primary care.
Despite the fact that more women are attaining higher educational degrees, there is considerable research that documents significantly lower earnings for women holding professional degrees than for men – and the gap increases beyond earning professional degrees.
The report compared male and female returns for undertaking medical degree in primary care as a physician or a PA. The net present value (NPV) for women to become a primary care physician (PCP) was about $1.67 million during a lifetime and $1.68 million to become a PA. For men, the NPV was about $2.3 million to become a PCP, compared with $1.9 million for a male PA.
Investigators concluded that most female physicians did not work enough total billable hours to justify the higher up-front investment of medical school.
To view the report, click here.
Physician’s Weekly wants to know…what is your reaction to this report’s results?
