Number of female cardiologists nearly doubles, but under-representation and discrimination remain.

The number of female doctors in cardiology nearly doubled in the last decade, and male and female cardiologists both report a high level of job satisfaction, according to findings from a 10-year follow-up survey published in the December 16/23, 2008, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (see also American College of Cardiology).

Still, women account for less than 20 percent of all cardiologists, despite nearly equal numbers of men and women graduating from medical schools. Moreover, two-thirds of women continue to report discrimination, mostly due to competing demands of parenting and family responsibilities.

"Women in cardiology continue to face the same institutional and personal roadblocks as those in other areas of medicine and science," says Athena Poppas, M.D., F.A.C.C., associate professor of medicine, Brown University Medical School, RI. "Women don't choose to specialize as much as their male counterparts for a variety of reasons, including the intensity and length of traininguat least six years for cardiologyuduring peak childbearing years."

As more and more Americans live with chronic heart conditions, the need to ensure a stable and competent cardiology workforce, including the recruitment of women, has become increasingly urgent.

"One-third of Americans will have cardiovascular disease, so we must attract the best and the brightestuand that includes womenuto keep up with demand and provide the highest level of patient care and research to help advance the field," says Dr. Poppas, who also serves as chair of the American College of Cardiology's Women in Cardiology Council, which commissioned the study. "We need to find ways to reduce discrimination, establish greater flexibility in work hours, and expand opportunities for mentorship to better meet the needs of women and men as they plan their careers in cardiology."

The need for greater flexibility is no longer gender-specific; both male and female doctors are striving for a better work-life balance. In fact, a similar proportion of male and female cardiologists are working less than full-time (80% vs 82%). This coincides with an overall trend toward more lifestyle-friendly areas of medicine, such as emergency departments, anesthesiology ...