The proportion of female doctors has increased in all OECD countries over the past two decades
March 2022 - The proportion of female doctors has increased in all OECD countries over the past two decades, and female doctors are on average younger than male doctors. In 2019, almost half of all doctors in OECD countries were female. This ranged from about three-quarters in Latvia and Estonia to less than one-quarter in Japan and Korea. The share of female doctors increased particularly rapidly from 2000 in the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark and Norway, where women accounted for more than half of all doctors in 2019. This increase has been driven by growing numbers of young women enrolling in medical schools, as well as the progressive retirement of more commonly male generations of doctors. Female doctors tend to work more in general medicine and medical specialties like paediatrics, and less in surgical specialties.
Share of female doctors, 2000 and 2019 (or nearest year)
 |
|
Source: OECD (2021), Health at a Glance 2021: OECD Indicators, Doctors (by age, sex and category |
Further reading
Related Documents