Gender, age factors in physician retention

Turnover among male physicians rises, while more female physicians are staying with their group practices.

By Myrle Croasdale, AMNews staff. April 2, 2007.

Women physicians appear to be less likely to leave their employment than men, according to an initial look at survey results from Cejka Search and the American Medical Group Assn. Along with gender, age may also play a role in who is more likely to stay put, as the physician work force undergoes a significant demographic shift.

Turnover among female physicians fell almost 1 percentage point to 6.6% in 2006 from 7.5% in 2005, while turnover among male physicians rose roughly 1 percentage point to 6.8% in 2006 from 5.9% in 2005. The average rate of physician turnover increased slightly to 6.7% in 2006 from 6.4% in 2005. Survey results were based on data on 17,000 physicians employed by 92 medical groups.

The AMGA represents large physician groups.

"One of the things we think is happening is that more women are going into medicine and are in their first practice years, and they remain where they are," said Mary Barber, vice president of marketing with Cejka Search, a St. Louis-based physician search firm.

In contrast, the male physician population is generally older, and retirement contributes to a higher turnover rate, Barber said. This generational difference does not entirely negate the gender difference in retention, she said. Women entering practice for the first time also may be having children or raising young families and may be less prone than men to change their work situations.