Examining gender differences among ear, nose and throat specialists

Female otolaryngologists — ear, nose, and throat specialists — are less likely to provide a variety of services within their specialty, according to new research. Scientists looked at 2017 Medicare data for nearly 8,500 physicians in this specialty, and found that female otolaryngologists were less likely to bill Medicare for a range of unique services than their male peers and also provided fewer services, especially in non-hospital settings. Women also received an average of $30,000 less in Medicare payments than their male colleagues. Although the study didn't examine the reasons behind these disparities, the authors suggest that persistent wage gaps even among those who perform the same number of services in otolaryngology could mean that women are performing services with less money associated with them.