SEX-DIFFERENCES IN PSYCHIATRISTS PRACTICE PATTERNS AND INCOMES

Objective and Method: Using data from the APA's 1988-1989 Professional Activities Survey, the authors compared male and female psychiatrists on demographic characteristics, training, practice patterns, and inco me. Results: In keeping with previous studies' findings, female respon dents on the average were younger than male respondents and more likel y to have taken a residency or fellowship in child or adolescent psych iatry, worked fewer hours per week, allocated their working hours diff erently among types of activities, saw fewer patients per week, and wo rked in somewhat different settings. Multiple regression analysis show ed that women had significantly lower mean net annual income than men after the effects of those predictors were statistically controlled. C onclusions: Differences in age, training, hours worked in specific set tings, and numbers of patients do not completely account for the gende r gap in psychiatrists' annual incomes.