Tips to Help Create Gender Salary Equality in Your OrganizationClint Rosser, CEO

As more women enter the medical workforce, the call for equitable compensation grows louder. Gender pay disparities persist across specialties and experience levels — even in fields where women are the majority. For physician recruiters and healthcare administrators, addressing this issue isn't just ethical — it's essential for talent retention, employer branding, and organizational integrity.

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) analyzed strategies used by U.S. medical schools to improve salary equity and published key recommendations in its report, Promising Practices for Understanding and Addressing Salary Equity at U.S. Medical Schools. These findings offer a roadmap to guide healthcare employers in creating fair, transparent compensation structures.

1. Make Unconscious Bias Training Mandatory

Educating staff on unconscious bias is a foundational step toward equity. Training should be required for:

• HR and hiring teams

• Physician leadership

• Faculty evaluation committees

Unconscious bias can shape salary offers, advancement opportunities, and performance evaluations. Standardized training helps create a shared language and framework for equity.

2. Standardize Hiring and Evaluation Criteria

Inconsistent review processes open the door to disparities. Use clear, measurable criteria for:

• Hiring decisions

• Salary offers

• Annual reviews and performance benchmarks

Ensure that all evaluators are trained in the same standards and that documentation is consistent across departments.

3. Use Blind Resume Reviews

Removing identifying information from resumes (e.g., name, gender, alma mater) can help reduce bias in the early stages of candidate evaluation. This is especially useful in high-volume recruitment settings or for internal advancement reviews.

4. Ensure Equitable Distribution of Resources and Responsibilities

Pay equity is often influenced by the allocation of non-clinical duties, committee roles, or access to high-value research opportunities. Conduct regular audits to ensure:

• Committee and leadership roles are evenly distributed

• Compensation reflects both clinical and non-clinical responsibilities

• Resources (e.g., research funding, administrative support) are allocated fairly

5. Standardize Advancement Criteria

Career stagnation contributes to long-term pay gaps. Implement clear, transparent advancement pathways, and review them annually to identify:

• Inconsistencies in promotions

• Delayed advancement trends for women or underrepresented groups

• Roadblocks in leadership pipelines

6. Promote Mentorship and Sponsorship Programs

Mentorship is vital for career development and salary growth. Encourage formal programs that pair early- and mid-career physicians with experienced leaders. Mentorship helps:

• Normalize compensation discussions

• Improve access to leadership opportunities

• Build confidence in negotiation

7. Offer Family-Friendly, Flexible Benefits

Work-life balance impacts long-term retention. Consider offering:

• Expanded childcare benefits

• Remote work or telemedicine options

• Flexible scheduling or part-time pathways for working parents

These benefits help level the playing field and support long-term career engagement.

Originally published 9/29/2020. Updated 3/4/2025.

Clint Rosser is the CEO of PracticeMatch. He has been with PracticeMatch since 2016. He has overseen several departments within PracticeMatch including Inside Sales, Career Fairs, and the Client Services team. Clint, along with his team, has helped elevate PracticeMatch client services to move past a transactional vendor relationship to a full partnership with clients. This has allowed PracticeMatch to build stronger relationships and work with clients closer to ensure they can achieve the most ROI possible.

Prior to Joining PracticeMatch, Clint has been in Client service leadership roles for over 20 years. Clint serves as an AAPPR Board Member for Strategic Corporate Sponsors.