Getting men into medicine.

Men are finding it increasingly difficult to access a medical career. The current admissions criteria to gain entry to UK medical schools have resulted in more women being accepted than in the past. The situation is similar to 50 years ago, but in reverse, when women found it difficult to obtain a place to train in medicine. Fortunately this under-representation of females has gradually been rectified but now the pendulum has swung the other way. This has resulted in a profession which in future will be deprived of the contribution of men. Patients will find it difficult to see a male GP if they so wish. As the population is composed of approximately equal numbers of males and females would it not be sensible to reflect this in our medical workforce and provide a degree of balance? According to the Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CfWI) there may not be sufficient numbers in the GP workforce until 2030.1 This is a worrying situation for both patients and doctors and is partially due to the fewer hours worked by women compared to men. As the current generation of male GPs retires, gaps will be exposed in service provision. By addressing the under-representation of men entering medical school the problem could be ameliorated, as historically men have tended to work longer hours than women and there is no evidence that this is going to change. Perhaps medical schools could review their admissions criteria, which currently favour those who are academically successful in school, and put greater emphasis on other qualities that contribute to the making of ‘a good doctor’ such as a caring and compassionate nature combined with emotional and physical resilience. Admissions tutors must be aware that boys mature later than girls and the necessary qualities required may not be so evident at age 18 in the male sex. Maybe this later flowering of abilities needs to be given greater recognition during the selection process to help improve this area of developing inequality in the medical workforce.