Why is pediatrics such a female-predominant specialty?

[mercaptovizadeh]

I really don't get it. I mean, ob/gyn I can understand given the intimacy issues of pelvic exams and such, but why pediatrics? Children need mothers and fathers. They need male and female role models. And the practice of pediatrics (at least in the inpatient setting) seems very analogous to specialties like neurology or internal medicine - heavily diagnostic with a minor procedural component. I don't see that IM or neurology are female-dominated. So what gives? Is it the salary? Is it that women have a greater affinity to children than men do? Is it that they end up in pediatrics by default because they are intimidated/not interested by the surgical fields historically dominated by men?

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[ruralsurg4now]

Because no matter what anyone says, most people go into Pediatrics because they think kids are really cute. Most guys are ambivalent about kids, at best, particularly ones who are complete strangers. A woman will be like "oooo, the baby is so cuuuuute" to any random kid they see on the street where the guy will be scoping out the kid's mom.

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Most people go into pediatrics because they wish to provide medical care for children and often times, to advocate for them within the health care system. Historically, pediatrics was one of the first fields widely open to women. Currently, it is hardly surprising that the field has more women than men, but there are plenty of men interested in caring for children and plenty of male pediatric trainees (I believe it is about 25-30% nationwide). Critical care fields such as neo, cards and PICU tend to draw more men than some others, but it is not absolute. I do not think the preference of women to provide care for children has anything to do with salary or being intimidated by surgical fields. I also don't think that most adult males first thought on seeing a baby is to be "scoping out the kid's mom".

 

[ruralsurg4now]

I also don't think that most adult males first thought on seeing a baby is to be "scoping out the kid's mom".

Not in a professional setting. I'm just saying on the street.

 

[mvenus929]

The most notable change in the composition of the child health workforce has been the accelerating entry of women into pediatric residency programs. Women constituted 65.2% of the 7629 pediatric residents in 2000, a proportion exceeded only by few other specialties such as obstetrics and gynecology (69.6%).15 In the past decade, the number of women in patient-care pediatrics increased from 17219 to 31276 (82% increase), and now women constitute 50% of all pediatricians.10,11 By the time this report is published, women will represent the majority of pediatricians, a historic first for any specialty in the United States. Information specific to pediatrics is lacking, but generally a woman's choice to enter a primary care specialty is influenced by children and other family responsibilities, volunteer or clerkship experiences with the underserved, personal social values, and factors related to marriage and spouse. In contrast, men are more influenced by income potential, parental preferences, and role models before medical school.37

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/116/1/e156.full

It's 8 years old now, so numbers are outdated, but an interesting read.

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Not in a professional setting. I'm just saying on the street.

I understood that.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/132/2/390.full

is the current workforce statement