Women were significantly more likely than men to pursue an academic career. The numbers were higher in the older cohorts than in the younger cohorts. The numbers of women who advanced to the ranks of associate and full professor were significantly lower than the expected numbers. This was true for both tenure and nontenure tracks, even after adjustment for the department. A total of 334 fewer women advanced to associate professor than expected, and 44 fewer women advanced to full professor than expected.
Disparities persist in the advancement of men and women on medical school faculties.
However, the numbers of women physicians at all levels of academic medicine are increasing. Since the data were pooled irrespective of specialty, there were adequate numbers to support meaningful conclusions. The difference was even greater when one considered the tenure track vs nontenure track. Approximately one third of those expected to make tenure or 205 women did not make tenure vs 151 fewer women on the nontenure track. In ophthalmology since 1989, the Association of American Medical Colleges, Washington, DC, lists ophthalmology as 1 of 6 clinical disciplines that has experienced the greatest increase in women.