men in OB/GYN (or lack thereof)

[tc]

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Many OB residency programs have become predominantly female.

Are fewer guys applying or is there preferential selection by the programs?

Is there any reliable data on patient preference? Informal observation seems to indicate that a preference may be correlated with the age of the patient.

The attrition rate for women MDs (compared with male MDs of same age) is higher. Women in private practice tend to work fewer days per week. Is availability a factor when patients choose a doctor?

Where is this trend going and why?

 

[Sevo]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by tcutler:
•Many OB residency programs have become predominantly female.

Are fewer guys applying or is there preferential selection by the programs?
•••••While on my OB clerkship, my advisor during that time was the program director of my hospital's OB-GYN program. I discussed this issue with him during one of our BS sessions. He didn't have a problem hiring male residents; however, the male applicant pool has dramatically fallen off sharply over the last three to four years.

Male OB-GYN residents have a very, very difficult time securing private practice jobs after residency. Women today tend to prefer to see female gynecologists and groups hire appropriately.

As a result, more and more male residents are sticking around to finish fellowships in urogynecology and gyn-onc. The job market for both fields are hot and for many male OB-GYNs, are often the only means by which they can actually work in the private sector after residency. The situation may also be similar for MFM and academic positions.

 

[task]

Which begs the question.....

Do males in the subspecialties (like MFM, urogyn, gyn onc or REI) have any trouble getting jobs?

I've heard REI is becoming a VERY hot field right now with many women waiting till their late 30s, 40s and beyond to become moms.

 

[jason952]

•••quote:••• Women today tend to prefer to see female gynecologists and groups hire appropriately.
••••I disagree here. I think a male's tendency to work more for a longer period of time is just as attractive to practices.

I have also been told several times by those in the field that surveys show women overall have no preference in provider gender, that it all evens out between those that don't care, and prefered m's/f's.

 

[acurarte]

I know I am going to catch he** for this, but if it was my wife having a c-section I would demand that a male OBGYN be scrubbed in. Why? I have been involved in c-sections that were very difficult and required a lot of strength. Not that some women do not have the strength and not that all men are iron men but on the average I think it is important.

Also I want to add that there are a lot of fabulous female OBGYN's and most women would probably prefer female OBGYN's. Just my personal preference if it was my wife....

 

[jvarga]

Being one of the "rare" male candidates that matched in OB/Gyn this year, I
hope to correct the common misconception that male OB's can't find jobs.
During my rotations and on the interview trail, I can say that this is a
topic that I made sure to ask any and everyone that would listen. The
general consensus (and the bottom line) is as follows: some women prefer
female OB's and some women prefer male OB's...the divide is somewhere around
50-50. As such, if you are a male OB, you could rest assured that somewhere
out there is a private practice that will require your help. The same goes
if you are female.
I am not saying that this will be the case in every city. In certain areas
(specifically I do not know, but I do imagine they exist), if the male OB
market is oversaturated, naturally do not expect to find an overwhelming
availability of private jobs for males. Again, the same goes for females if
the female OB market is oversaturated. It boils down to the basic premise
of supply and demand.
One thing that is definately helping out current job availability, is the
growing trend of OB/Gyn's dropping the OB part of their practices because of
high insurance premiums (and the majority of these are female OB's...so I've
been told). This, naturally, makes any OB who is willing to see OB patients
an instant commodity. What I hear from the grapevine (pure hearsay), is
that many practices are desperately seeking any OB willing to see their OB
patients and that being male is a plus in their eyes because males are more
likely to remain OB for a longer period of time. Whether or not this is
actually true, I do not know, but I have heard it from plenty of reliable
sources.
Well, I hope that this has helped clear up the confusion tcutler. By the
way, if this is hindering your decision on whether or not to become an OB,
rest assured...there will always be a need for male OB's.