Streilein Annamarie, Leach Brandi, Everett Christine, Morgan Perri
Annamarie Streilein, MHS, PA-C, is an assistant professor in Community and Family Medicine and director of Preclinical Education at the Duke University Physician Assistant Program, Durham, North Carolina. Brandi Leach, PhD, is a research analyst in Community and Family Medicine at the Duke University Physician Assistant Program, Durham, North Carolina. Christine Everett, PhD, MPH, PA-C, is an assistant professor in Community and Family Medicine at the Duke University Physician Assistant Program, Durham, North Carolina. Perri Morgan, PhD, PA-C, is a professor in Community and Family Medicine at the Duke University Physician Assistant Program, Durham, North Carolina.
J Physician Assist Educ. 2018 Mar;29(1):1-6. doi: 10.1097/JPA.0000000000000180.
The male-female wage gap is present and persistent in the health care sector, even among physician assistants (PAs). Explanations for the persistent gender earnings gap include differential salary expectations of men and women based, in part, on women's lower pay entitlement. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in salary expectations between male and female matriculating PA students nationwide, adjusting for other factors expected to affect salaries and pay expectations of both male and female matriculants.
Using data from the Physician Assistant Education Association Matriculating Student Survey of 2013, 2014, and 2015, we investigated the relationship between first-year PA students' gender and their salary expectations after graduation using a multinomial logistic regression analysis. We controlled for possible confounders by including independent variables measuring student demographics, background characteristics, qualifications, future career plans, and financial considerations.
We found that female PA students were less likely than male PA students to expect a salary of $80,000-$89,999 (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.73), $90,000-$99,999 (OR = 0.58), or $100,000 or greater (OR = 0.42) in comparison to an expected salary of less than $70,000, when controlling for our independent variables.
Our analysis shows that on entry into PA training programs, female PA students' earnings expectations are less than those of male PA students. Our results are consistent with research, suggesting that women typically expect lower pay and systematically undervalue their contributions and skills in comparison to men. Physician assistant programs should consider strategies to promote realistic salary expectations among PA students as one way to promote earnings equity.
医疗保健行业存在男女工资差距，且这种差距持续存在，即使在医师助理（PA）群体中也是如此。男女收入差距持续存在的原因包括男女薪资期望存在差异，部分原因是女性的薪酬权益较低。本研究的目的是调查全国范围内报考PA专业的男女学生在薪资期望上的差异，并对其他预计会影响男女报考者薪资和薪资期望的因素进行调整。
利用2013年、2014年和2015年医师助理教育协会报考学生调查的数据，我们使用多项逻辑回归分析研究了一年级PA学生的性别与他们毕业后薪资期望之间的关系。我们通过纳入衡量学生人口统计学特征、背景特征、资质、未来职业规划和财务考虑因素的自变量来控制可能的混杂因素。
我们发现，在控制自变量的情况下，与预期薪资低于70,000美元相比，女性PA学生期望薪资为80,000 - 89,999美元（优势比[OR]=0.73）、90,000 - 99,999美元（OR = 0.58）或100,000美元及以上（OR = 0.42）的可能性低于男性PA学生。
我们的分析表明，在进入PA培训项目时，女性PA学生的收入期望低于男性PA学生。我们的结果与研究一致，表明与男性相比，女性通常期望较低的薪酬，并且系统性地低估了自己的贡献和技能。医师助理项目应考虑采取策略，以促进PA学生形成现实的薪资期望，作为促进收入公平的一种方式。
