Top Specialties for Women in Medicine

by Parul Yadav, MD

Women in medicine have come a long way since Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to graduate medical school in 1849. In 2017, for the first time in United States history, more women than men enrolled in medical school. In the academic year 2023–2024, women comprised 56.6 percent of medical school applicants, 55.4 percent of first-year medical students, and 54.6 percent of total enrollment in medical schools in the US. The increasing representation of women in the medical field is driving the development of distinctive trends and preferences among female physicians.

What Factors Play a Role When Choosing a Specialization?

Even though choosing a medical specialty is highly individualized, multiple factors play a role in the decision-making process. Students often consider factors such as:

• Aptitude, skills, motivation
• Personality
• Intellectual challenge offered
• Influence of mentors and family
• Positive experiences during rotations
• Competitiveness of the residency selection process and training
• Earning potential
• Risk of litigation

While these factors are important to both genders, studies have shown that men place a higher emphasis on prestige and income potential when it comes to choosing a specialty. Conversely, women tend to value work-life balance, opportunities for comprehensive and holistic caregiving, and the ability to address the psychological and social aspects of medicine.

Specialties with Strong Female Representation

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges’ (AAMC) 2022 Physician Specialty Data Report, the following medical specialties have the highest representation of women:

• Pediatrics: 66%
• Obstetrics and Gynecology: 62%
• Dermatology: 53%
• Pathology: 44%
• Family Medicine/General Practice: 43%

Many women gravitate toward pediatrics because they genuinely enjoy working with kids. The fulfilling nature of the job, the diverse scope of practice, the chance to build long-term relationships with patients, and a manageable work schedule make this field appealing to many.

Obstetrics and gynecology is another field that is heavily dominated by women. If you enjoy a mix of primary care, surgery, pregnancy and child care, and want to care for, empower, and advocate for women in general, this might be the field for you. Additionally, female patients often prefer female physicians when it comes to pelvic examination and antenatal care.

However, it does come with its challenges, such as unpredictable and long working hours, frequent night calls, managing pregnancy complications, and performing emergency surgeries. Yet, the work-life balance in this specialty has improved over the years with the adoption of the laborist/hospitalist work model. It’s also important to note that obstetrics and gynecology is a specialty with high medical malpractice insurance rates, as approximately 62 percent of Ob-Gyns have faced lawsuits throughout their careers.

Some women prioritize specialties that offer a more controllable lifestyle and better work-life balance, including fewer practice work hours per month, time for leisure, fewer emergency calls, and more manageable hours. For this reason, specialties like dermatology, radiology, psychiatry, and ophthalmology are becoming increasingly popular among women. Both dermatology and radiology are mostly outpatient-based practices that allow you to work with a diverse population, perform a mix of procedures, and have an excellent work-life balance with good compensation.

Family medicine is another popular choice for women because it provides opportunities for comprehensive continuity of care for patients across the lifespan, as well as the flexibility to balance work and personal responsibilities. Women drawn to the specialty appreciate the variety of clinical issues addressed and the long-term patient relationships.

Challenges Faced by Women in Medicine

As of 2022, women make up 38 percent of the physician workforce in the US—quite a jump from 26 percent in 2004. However, they are still underrepresented in positions of leadership, publishing, and speaking opportunities and often earn less than their male counterparts. According to the American Medical Association, women comprise only 3 percent of healthcare CMOs, 6 percent of department chairs, and 9 percent of division chiefs.

Additionally, women often face challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities, particularly around pregnancy and childbirth, and still shoulder a disproportionate share of family and household responsibilities, even as their careers progress. Physician women are more likely to have spouses or domestic partners who are employed full time, leaving them to juggle their careers with domestic duties.

One study revealed that women physicians are more likely to work part time than men, especially those with children—30.6 percent of women versus 4.5 percent of men—highlighting significant gender disparities in work-life balance. These work-life issues continue to impact women physicians’ professional lives throughout their careers, leading to increased discrepancies in compensation and promotion later in their careers and to higher burnout rates than their male counterparts.

To add to the above, there are still significant gender disparities in various aspects of the medical field, and some specialties like orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, and urology continue to remain male-dominated branches of medicine. According to a survey conducted by The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), 80 percent of women report experiencing gender-based discrimination on the job (compared to only 17 percent of men). Despite this, more women are now entering these previously male-dominated specialties.

How to Overcome Biases 

Below are a few suggestions that could help overcome bias:

• Find supportive mentors.
• Mentor and support other women in medicine.
• Actively seek out and apply for leadership positions.
• Develop your skills, pursue additional qualifications, and stay updated in your field.
• Engage in research.
• Join professional organizations that advocate for gender equity in medicine.
• Build strong professional networks for opportunities and peer support.
• Learn negotiation skills for employment contracts, salaries, and promotions.
• Advocate for transparent and equitable compensation practices.
• Advocate for policies that support work-life integration, such as flexible scheduling and parental leave.
• Support and advocate for institutional and systemic changes that promote gender equity, such as fair promotion processes and family-friendly policies.

It’s important to note that while various factors influence women’s specialty choices, women are needed in all fields. Ultimately, the choice is yours—it’s your motivation and interests that determine the most suitable specialty for you. So, pick a specialty that excites you and makes you look forward to going to work every day.

Whether you’re starting out or looking to advance your career, leveraging resources offered by Health eCareers, such as job boards and career services, can help you stand out and succeed in your job search.

Pediatrician at CHRISTUS Health

• Location: San Antonio, Texas – Alon Town Centre Pediatric Office
• Compensation: Competitive first-year guarantee with sign-on bonus
• Benefits: Malpractice with tail coverage, retirement with employer match, CME allowance, medical/dental/vision insurance, and paid time off
• Role Overview: Full-time, 100% outpatient Pediatrician position (M–F, 8am–5pm, with a half-day weekly for admin/personal time); see 20–24 patients per day in a compassionate, mission-driven, faith-based care environment

OB/GYN Physician at Meritus Health

• Location: Hagerstown, Maryland – Meritus Health, an independent, nationally recognized health system
• Compensation: Competitive salary with comprehensive benefits and OBGYN call rotation included
• Benefits: Health, dental, and vision insurance (effective first of the month after hire), paid life and disability coverage, generous PTO, 401(k) with company match, tuition reimbursement, FSA/HSA options, and shift differential pay
• Role Overview: Full-time employed OBGYN opportunity within an established, collaborative team of physicians and midwives; focus on high-quality, patient-centered care with strong work-life balance and professional growth opportunities

Dermatologist at Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery

• Location: Denver, Colorado – Established, high-volume dermatology clinic
• Compensation: Lucrative base salary plus productivity bonus with uncapped earning potential
• Benefits: Comprehensive full benefits package, EMA-enabled clinics, and professional management support (HR, billing, marketing, compliance, and more)
• Role Overview: Full-time, board-certified/eligible General Dermatologist opportunity within a collaborative, physician-led organization; flexible schedule, turnkey patient base, and strong focus on service excellence and innovation

General Pathologist at Kaiser Permanente

• Location: Southern California
• Compensation: $360,375 – $458,871 annually (includes incentives based on skills, certification, and location) with potential premium earnings up to $18,840
• Benefits: Comprehensive medical/dental/vision coverage, supplemental and dependent coverage, paid vacation/holiday/sick/education leave, retirement and savings plans, relocation package, professional liability coverage, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility
• Role Overview: Full-time physician opportunity with SCPMG offering competitive pay, long-term partnership potential (eligible after three years full-time), and the chance to practice in one of the largest and most respected medical groups in the U.S., serving 4.9 million members across 16 hospitals and 197 offices

Family Medicine Physician at Adventist Health

• Location: Portland, Oregon – Adventist Health Primary Care, Parkrose Clinic
• Compensation: Guaranteed income with additional earning potential; student loan reimbursement and relocation assistance available
• Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and retirement package; CME and professional reimbursement; PSLF-qualifying nonprofit location
• Role Overview: Full-time (MD/DO) Primary Care Physician opportunity in a collaborative, 100% outpatient environment; Monday–Friday schedule (4-day work week optional) with optional Urgent Care coverage; BC/BE and Oregon licensure required

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