Do women choose psychiatry because it fits in better with family life?
Factors related to lifestyle are known to be important in career choice within the medical profession (Calligaro et al, 2004; Tolhurst & Stewart, 2004). However, it has not been shown that these factors are more important for women than men. Parkhouse & Ellin (1988) and Goldacre & Lambert (2000) found that there is a net movement of junior doctors into psychiatry from other specialties. Female graduates may decide upon their final career choices later than male doctors (Goldacre & Lambert, 2000) and Brook (1981) found that family life was an important influence upon this decision. Tait & Platt (1995) surveyed 2200 female and 200 male consultants in the National Health Service and found that women reached consultant grade at about the same time as their male contemporaries, but were more likely to be working in anaesthetics, radiology, pathology or psychiatry. They had chosen these specialties because they were most compatible with family commitments. Goldacre et al (2005) reported that
