Though both men and women in cardiology report high levels of job satisfaction, female cardiologists were less likely to report career advancement than their male counterparts, according to survey published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The survey was completed by 964 women and 1,348 men in 2015. It showed both men and women in cardiology are overall satisfied with their work lives (88 percent of women and 90 percent of men) and satisfied with their compensation (63 percent of women and 65 percent of men).
Yet women were less likely to report high levels of career advancement compared to their peers, and female cardiologists were almost three times more likely to report discrimination than male cardiologists. Women reported experiencing discrimination regarding sex and parenting, while men were more likely to experience racial and religious discrimination, according to the survey.
Though the survey indicates gender disparities persist among cardiologists, it also shows signs of progress. The survey noted a significant decline in the number of women reporting discrimination over the past two decades. In 1996, 71 percent of women cardiologists reported experiencing discrimination, compared to 65 percent in 2015.
"Discrimination continues to be an issue reported by a clear majority of female cardiologists," the report concludes. "Addressing the changing demographics and practice settings of the work force, increasing diversity and achieving parity in race and sex continue to be important goals for the cardiology community."
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