Gender and work: what veterinarians can learn from research about women, men, and work

摘要

The veterinary profession has undergone a dramatic gender shift in the past 20 years. At the same time, there has been a decline in the economic position of veterinarians. There is an income gap between male and female veterinarians that cannot be fully explained by differences in experience, hours worked, or other measurable factors. A great deal of debate and discussion has ensued regarding the cause and effect relationships of these changes. Much of the discussion revolves around differences in men's and women's personalities, priorities, and interests. A review of the research can help answer some of the questions that have arisen in our profession regarding gender, personality, and income. Some of the questions include: What are the reasons for the income gap between men and women, beyond age and experience factors? Because professions dominated by women seem to pay less, does that mean that women's entry causes lower incomes? Are there differences in personalities or the ways that men and women think that affect outcomes at work? Do men and women have different priorities that affect outcomes at work? Do men and women possess inherent characteristics that make them better at certain types of work, and thus affect how much they will earn?