courtesy of Daily Mail

How Much Are You Really Worth?

I recently had the privilege of speaking to a group of women pulmonologists at the American College of Chest Physicians’ annual CHEST conference. I was asked to speak on the subject of contract negotiations. Since all physicians at one time or another in their careers must master negotiating skills or leave significant money and other benefits on the table, I thought this would be a fairly routine talk. So routine, in fact, I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to hold their attention through my 20 minutes at the podium.

But, as I spoke, I noticed how quiet the room was, heads bent taking notes and a focus on what I was saying.

We usually think of physicians, women doctors included, as being in charge and able to control any situation. And, here I was, speaking to 300 accomplished professionals, many of them leaders and trailblazers in their own right, absorbing my advice on how to master the art of negotiating…for themselves.

Following the talk, many in the audience who wanted “real world” advice and guidance on their specific situations surrounded me. They all voiced one major concern: the lack of financial opportunity and advancement for women in medicine.

Among all physicians, women earn an average of 74 cents for every dollar a man makes, according to a new report from Doximity, a social network for healthcare professionals. That translates to female physicians earning roughly $91,000 less a year than their male counterparts, and they are promoted less frequently to leadership positions in their practices, hospitals, and academic centers.

That’s an even worse track record than the average full-time woman worker who earns an average of 82 cents for every dollar a man made in 2016 – up from 77 cents.

As I flew home from the conference, I asked myself, if these women were having difficulty navigating contract and salary negotiations, how much more difficult must it be for a woman with far fewer letters following her name?

Read the rest of story on Huffington Post