April 24, 2017 – Solving Disparity

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Anchor lead: How can salary disparities between physicians be overcome? Elizabeth Tracey reports

Recent release of 2016 analysis of physician salaries reveals that gaps remain between men and women doctors, in some cases very large gaps. Janice Clements, Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs at Johns Hopkins, says the Hopkins model may help address this issue.

Clements: Women get paid very much the same as men now. The difference in base salary is 1.6% that’s not even statistically different. Outside it’s 19%. We do studies every year of women’s salaries, and men’s, salary equity and we call it the salary equity study, because men sometimes don’t get paid what they should. So it’s good for everyone. It was a strategic approach of how you don’t advocate for something unless you provide reason and data and a process, and then it becomes a strategic priority.  :30

Clements says salary parity is something that concerns everyone as persistent wage gaps can affect whether women remain in the workforce. She says some of the disparity is accounted for by the fact that many women physicians don’t go into the highest paid specialties, but that’s changing also. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.