Medical Workforce Intelligence Report 2022 reveals data and insights on women in medicine in Ireland

• While 1,427 female doctors registered with the Medical Council for the first time, 593 female doctors withdrew from the Medical Council Register in 2022
• Doctors who withdrew from the Register in 2022 often cited familial and wellbeing-related reasons for deciding to withdraw

Today on International Women’s Day, the Medical Council is publishing its 2022 Workforce Intelligence report. The report analyses and presents data provided by doctors on the Medical Council’s medical register (the ‘Register’). Its data reveals the growing number of female doctors registering with the Medical Council for the first time. It also provides insights from doctors as to why they chose to withdraw from the Register in 2022.

 This includes doctors who have registered for the first time or retained registration with the Medical Council, and those who have voluntarily withdrawn from the Register throughout 2022.

The number of doctors on the Register has been increasing year on year, with the number of young female doctors having risen steadily over the past decade.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is #InspireInclusion, and encourages everyone to recognise the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life. It calls on those involved to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected.

2022 Key Highlights

• First Time Registered Doctors:
  • 3,008 doctors registered with the Medical Council for the first time in 2022, compared with 2,605 in the previous year, representing a 15% increase, between 2021 and 2022.
  • Over half (52.6%) of doctors registering for the first time in 2022 were male, and 47.4% were female.
  • Notably, the ratio of females to males is greater in the youngest cohort of doctors, aged 24 and younger (45% male vs 55% female).
  • Furthermore, 71.2% of doctors registering for the first time obtained their qualifications abroad.

• Doctors Retaining Registration:
  • 18,839 (81.5%) doctors who renewed their registration with the Medical Council were clinically active in Ireland, all or some of the time in 2022.
  • In 2022, 46.8% of clinically active doctors in Ireland were female, while 53.2% were male. The distribution of males and females was split more evenly in younger cohorts, whereas the majority of older doctors are male. Over half (51.7%) of clinically active doctors working in Ireland were on the Specialist Division of the Register, 16.3% of doctors were on the Trainee Specialist Division; and 31.2% were on the General Division of the Register.
  • In 2022, over a quarter of clinically active doctors working in Ireland self-reported working more than 48 hours a week on average.

In 2022, 1,341 doctors, of whom 593 were female, voluntarily withdrew their registration with the Medical Council. Among doctors who completed the voluntary withdrawal survey, 45.9% offered detailed explanations on the reasons for withdrawing their registration. A number of work-related issues were cited, including limited career progression and training opportunities, poor working conditions, personal or family reasons, plans to practise abroad, and other reasons such as registration requirements and the emergency response to COVID-19 coming to an end.

Speaking today, President of the Medical Council, Dr Suzanne Crowe said, ““As the world collectively celebrates International Women's Day, I’m glad to see a rising number of women in medicine in Ireland, particularly those aged 24 and under. In 1994, women made up just 30% of the medical Register. Now, 30 years later, we are nearly at a 50/50 split male to female, with the numbers of female doctors in the younger age cohorts outpacing male doctors."

“Over the years, there has been a significant increase in the representation of women within the medical profession, reflecting a positive shift towards greater gender diversity and inclusivity in healthcare.

“One of the key elements of Inspire Inclusion is promoting diversity in leadership and decision-making positions. Women, especially those belonging to underrepresented groups, continue to face barriers when seeking leadership roles. 

“Today, I’m also reflecting on the contributions of the women who tirelessly advocate for patients and vulnerable people in Ireland. Today, we celebrate their dedication, compassion, and commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of others. Women can bring a unique understanding of women’s health issues, paving the way for change in medicine, and helping other patients to feel safe and heard.

“Doctors who withdrew from the Register in 2022 often cited personal and wellbeing-related reasons for deciding not to retain their registration. Balancing caring duties at home with onerous rosters and poor access to childcare is a major issue for doctors, especially those in training. Supports are available to doctors, and we must come together to support our colleagues who may be struggling. Just like everyone else, doctors can also fall ill or experience times of poor mental health”, Dr Crowe concluded.

Ms Jantze Cotter, Executive Director, Regulatory Policy and Standards, Medical Council, added, “We must do all in our power to retain our highly skilled medical workforce. A key aspect of this is organisations working together, using data, knowledge, and resources to focus efforts and produce tangible actions.

“The recently released National Taskforce on the Non-Consultant Hospital Doctor Workforce report outlines key recommendations that require cross partner work to address identified issues. This includes recalibrating work-life balance through improved rosters, reduced work hours, flexible rotations and childcare,” concluded Ms Cotter.  

Dr Bernadette Rock, Head of Research, Medical Council noted, “The evidence collected through Medical Council surveys is analysed and reported to key health organisations to support workforce planning. It's great to see this data being utilised by organisations such as the National Doctors training programme, as it shows the power of the voice of doctors in influencing change.”    

Read the Medical Workforce Intelligence Consolidated Report 2022.

The Medical Workforce Intelligence Report for 2023 will be published later this year.