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<\/a>), as of February 2024, there were 164,440 women licensed<\/strong> to practise medicine compared to 164,195 men\u2014a slight but significant majority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The presence of women in medicine has grown steadily over the past century. When the UK medical register was first introduced in 1859<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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 <\/a>already outnumber men. England and Wales are expected to follow soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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 \u201csignificant\u201d but emphasised the need for continued efforts to ensure equal career progression opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cBut women training for careers in medicine continue to face challenges that must be acknowledged and tackled.<\/em>\u201d she said. \u201cAnd for those women already working as doctors there is still work to do to create supportive and inclusive workplaces<\/strong>, and to ensure they have access to progression opportunities, including leadership roles, so that they can have long and fulfilling careers in medicine.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
A key issue is the lack of flexibility in medical training and leadership pathways. Dr Latifa Patel, Chair of the British Medical Association (BMA<\/a>) Representative Body, highlighted how rigid training structures make it difficult for women\u2014particularly those balancing family responsibilities\u2014to advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cThe current system was not designed for women<\/a>,\u201d<\/em> she said, <\/em>pointing to the challenges of childcare and inflexible working hours. \u201cRetaining women doctors in the workplace, in the NHS and happy and fulfilled in their roles, must be a priority<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n