Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Article: Princeton's Woman Problem

Many male physicians are also working part-time, esp. younger doctors. Men want to participate in their families too!
The arrangement you are describing is why female physicians (or female scientists, etc.) can fall into the "mommy track" at many universities. It becomes very hard to get promoted to tenure for these women.

My definition of productivity doesn't match the article's definition, and I would argue that society and the individual patient might in fact be better served by less "productive" drs.

Yes, anesthesioogy is definitely a "lifestyle" type of choice for doctors. (Obviously, there are anesthesiologists who work long hours). It's also oversubscribed among graduating female physicians.
One reason why my field, Cardiology, has so few women is the radiation exposure. We get tons of radiation during procedures and we wear lead aprons to protect us. However, as I went through my two pregnancies wearing 20 pounds of lead, that is when it dawned on me why many female med students don't go into a field like that.

This article describes social life at Princeton and Duke:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/fashion/after-class-skimpy-equality-motherlode.html
After Class, Skimpy Equality
By LISA BELKIN
New York Times
August 26, 2011

It's not a pretty picture. I mostly agree with the analysis at

http://www.nationalreview.com/phi-beta-cons/275978/human-nature-no-surprise-carol-iannone
Human Nature No Surprise
National Review
September 1, 2011
By Carol Iannone .

I know that in my firm, women and men in the same jobs make the same amount. And I know we pay the same rate for contractors regardless of their sex - and I know from personal discussions with them that they all get paid the same amount.

Despite several lucrative offer$$$$, DW has decided not to run any more companies until the kids are in school due to the 70+ hour weeks it requires. Relative to her peers in the same leadership ranks, she is falling behind, but that is her choice.

I know I have cut back my hours as well for family reasons.

http://reason.com/archives/2007/04/30/the-truth-about-the-pay-gap


So I not so sure that the "pay gap" exists within each field.

I used to run past frat/sorority row. I saw parties like this. But none of the women in my classes did anything like this. We'd get together for study group then go listen to live music. The first story is more gossipy than anything.

In BigLaw, you have significantly more male partners than women partners. This creates a defacto pay gap in the legal profession. The money goes to the top of the pyramid.

Here's an example from a former BigLaw attorney now SAHM:

She talks about how few women partners there were.

BigLaw Blog

Great read. DW will like it. Law Firms compensation is more like a pyramid scheme than your typical firm, though.

DW sees the same thing in senior management at a lot of firms. They lack an objective means of promoting people and lack an overall strategy for developing their people. But that is most firms these days. IMHO we'd see a huge increase in performance if firms did a better job of choosing people and mentoring them.


She did not mention the mental stress. This is the hardest part.

DW has made the same choice, for now. She was offered the CFO position and turned it down so they brought her on in another role where she has no operational responsibilities. Otherwise, it would be 70 hour weeks.

A lot of men make the same choice, too.

In law, your compensation is dependent on how many clients you "own" and how much money they bring in each year.

A few years ago, $2,000,000 in annual fees was the going rate for partnership with some of BigLaw, so a lot of it is sales and marketing.

You have to be both technically proficient and bring in enough business or the firms have no interest in retaining you. Only rainmakers matter.

No ability to bring in business? No future.

Understood, but how do people become rainmakers?