The number of women at all levels of academic medicine is increasing, yet they lag behind their male counterparts in entering the senior ranks of the profession, according to a study from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

Researchers studied proportions of advancing men and women to ranks of assistant, associate, and full professor for all U.S. medical school graduates from 1979-1993, and for all members of U.S. medical school faculty from 1979-1997.

The researchers found that 634 more women became faculty members than men—about 10 percent more women than expected; however, the number of women who advanced to associate and full professor was significantly lower than expected: 334 fewer women advanced to associate professor than expected; and 44 fewer women advanced to full professor than expected.

Possible explanations as to why women are less likely to advance include lower productivity, as measured by numbers of publications or external grants; fewer hours devoted to their work; and fewer resources provided by the medical school. 

The study was published in the February 10 New England Journal of Medicine.