THE UK has more female doctors than male ones for the first time, official figures reveal.
The General Medical Council said there are 164,440 women licensed to practise compared with 164,195 men.
And it is not just welcome news for equality campaigners — it is better for patients, with a study last year showing being treated by a female boosted survival chances.
The proportion of female doctors has increased every year for the past decade — from 45 per cent in 2015 to 50.04 per cent now.
Professor Dame Carrie McEwen, the second female chair of the GMC in its 166-year history, said: “This is a significant milestone.
“The demographics of the medical workforce are rapidly changing and diversity will benefit patients.”
The figures show female doctors are most likely to be gynaecologists, paediatricians or GPs.
Surgery, ophthalmology and A&E are all still male-dominated.
Nursing has been a mostly female profession for more than 100 years and nearly 90 per cent in Britain are women.
But surveys show sexism is still widespread in the medical profession, with nine in ten female doctors experiencing it.
Dr Latifa Patel of the British Medical Association said: “Female doctors must be able to care for patients without sexual harassment and sexism.”
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