Findings of Gender Equity Study at UCI Medical School Mixed

Only 10 of the 168 full professors at the UC Irvine College of Medicine are women, which places it last among the five UC medical schools in the state and 1.8% below the national average, according to a report released Thursday.

That was the most stinging conclusion of the study requested by the dean of the College of Medicine, Dr. Walter Henry, to determine whether women faculty members are being discriminated against.

“Overall, the study does not support the contention that the record of the UCI College of Medicine is deplorable with regard to the gender of our faculty, trainees or medical students,” Henry said in a letter to faculty members about the report. “To the contrary, UCI’s record in most areas is at or near the top in the state.”

But the report was immediately criticized for failing to honestly address the problem of gender discrimination.

The findings are “a pathetic effort to justify sexism at UCI rather than put a stop to it,” said Dr. Phyllis Agran, an associate professor of pediatrics at the medical school.

The administration’s report found that women faculty members are paid the same as men with the same rank and that the school exceeds the national average in the percentage of full-time women faculty members.

Henry acknowledged Thursday that the study was spurred by a group of women faculty members who complained three years ago of bias in salaries and promotions. In response, he appointed a Committee on the Status of Women. He said the study was done by himself and other faculty members in cooperation with the committee, which he said has approved the findings.

However, Agran, who is a member of We Advocate Gender Equity, which was formed in December, accused the UCI administration of “manipulating its own employment data to excuse sex bias at the College of Medicine.”

While applauding Henry’s decision to set goals for improving female representation in higher positions, she said, “The essential facts remains that only 10% of the tenured faculty at the College of Medicine are women, and that hasn’t changed for 10 years.”

Agran also challenged the administration’s contention that salaries for men and women are virtually the same and called for “analysis of the data by an independent source.” She also complained that none of the 21 medical school departments are chaired by women.

Henry said that the gender status report is the first of its kind and that it will be issued annually to chart the school’s progress in achieving equality.

“Our goal is to be a leader in this area,” he said, by exceeding the national average in every measurement of female representation.

Henry also outlined other measures he will take to improve sexual equity, including establishing a new position of associate dean for faculty development.

Among other findings, the report said the 115 full-time women faculty members represent 23.7% of the total full-time faculty of the school--including those in clinical and basic science departments--exceeding the national average of 19.5%.

But in a breakdown, only seven women faculty members were in basic science departments. Thus, women represent 11.9% of the full-time faculty in basic sciences at the school, below the national average of 17.7%.

It was at the higher-paid and more prestigious level of full professor that the gender gap was widest, a disparity that Henry predicted would soon be reduced by promotions.

Henry noted that 36 of the 120 associate professors at the school are women, which he said is 12.7% above the national average. It is from the ranks of associate professors, he said, that full professors are promoted.