The UK medical workforce has reached a historic turning point, with women now outnumbering men among registered doctors. According to the General Medical Council (GMC), as of February 2024, there were 164,440 women licensed to practise medicine compared to 164,195 men—a slight but significant majority.
This shift reflects decades of progress in medical education and workforce demographics. However, leading figures in the profession stress that women continue to face challenges, particularly in training, career advancement, and balancing work with personal commitments.
Calls for reform are growing, with experts urging structural changes to support the next generation of female doctors.
Women in Medicine: A Long-Awaited Milestone
The presence of women in medicine has grown steadily over the past century. When the UK medical register was first introduced in 1859, female doctors were almost non-existent. For decades, their numbers remained low, with gradual increases in the 20th century and a sharp rise from the 1970s onwards.
According to the GMC, the trend continues today, with 60% of medical students in 2023/24 being women. The increase is particularly evident in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where female doctors already outnumber men. England and Wales are expected to follow soon.
Despite this progress, gender disparities persist across medical specialities. Women dominate fields such as paediatrics, general practice, and obstetrics and gynaecology, but remain underrepresented in others, including surgery, ophthalmology, and emergency medicine.
Experts argue that these imbalances highlight deeper structural issues within medical training and career progression.
Barriers to Leadership and Career Progression
While women now form the majority of the medical workforce, many still face significant barriers in advancing to senior positions. Professor Dame Carrie MacEwen, Chair of the GMC, described the milestone as “significant” but emphasised the need for continued efforts to ensure equal career progression opportunities.
“But women training for careers in medicine continue to face challenges that must be acknowledged and tackled.” she said. “And for those women already working as doctors there is still work to do to create supportive and inclusive workplaces, and to ensure they have access to progression opportunities, including leadership roles, so that they can have long and fulfilling careers in medicine.”
A key issue is the lack of flexibility in medical training and leadership pathways. Dr Latifa Patel, Chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) Representative Body, highlighted how rigid training structures make it difficult for women—particularly those balancing family responsibilities—to advance.
“The current system was not designed for women,” she said, pointing to the challenges of childcare and inflexible working hours. “Retaining women doctors in the workplace, in the NHS and happy and fulfilled in their roles, must be a priority.”
Calls for reform are growing. Professor Scarlett McNally, President of the Medical Women’s Federation, has urged changes to postgraduate training, including more flexible rotations and reduced administrative workloads.
She also advocates for better leadership pathways, calling for senior NHS roles to be more accessible through job-sharing and realistic time commitments.
