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Hours Constraints, Occupational Choice, and Gender: Evidence from Medical Residents

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  • Melanie Wasserman

Abstract

Do the long work hours required by many high-paying professions inhibit the entry of women? I investigate this question by studying a 2003 policy that capped the average workweek for medical residents at 80 hours. Using data on the universe of US medical school graduates, I find that when a specialty reduces its weekly hours, more women enter the specialty, whereas there is little change in men’s entry. I provide evidence that the increase in women is due to changes in labour supply, rather than labour demand. At the residency program level, I document that baseline female representation predicts female entry after the reform. A back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that the reallocation of women among medical specialties due to the hours reduction can close the physician gender wage gap by 11$\%$.

Suggested Citation

  • Melanie Wasserman, 2023. "Hours Constraints, Occupational Choice, and Gender: Evidence from Medical Residents," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 90(3), pages 1535-1568.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:restud:v:90:y:2023:i:3:p:1535-1568.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/restud/rdac042
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Kyle Greenberg & Melanie Wasserman & E. Anna Weber, 2024. "The Effects of Gender Integration on Men: Evidence from the U.S. Military," NBER Working Papers 33235, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Elaine Kelly & Isabel Stockton, 2024. "A senior doctor like me: Gender match and occupational choice," IFS Working Papers W24/11, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    3. Jena, Anupam B. & Slusky, David & Springer, Lilly, 2023. "Occupational Hazard? An Analysis of Birth Outcomes among Physician Mothers," IZA Discussion Papers 16655, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Chloe R. Gibbs & Jocelyn Wikle & Riley Wilson, 2024. "A Matter of Time? Measuring Effects of Public Schooling Expansions on Families’ Constraint," CESifo Working Paper Series 11200, CESifo.
    5. Ariel J. Binder & Amanda Eng & Kendall Houghton & Andrew Foote, 2024. "Is the Gender Pay Gap Largest at the Top?," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 114, pages 248-253, May.
    6. Amalia R. Miller & Ragan Petrie & Carmit Segal, 2024. "Effects of Workplace Competition on Work Time and Gender Inequality," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 77(2), pages 251-272, March.
    7. John Eric Humphries & Juanna Schrøter Joensen & Gregory F. Veramendi, 2024. "The Gender Wage Gap: Skills, Sorting, and Returns," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 114, pages 259-264, May.
    8. Frech, Maria & Maideu-Morera, Gerard, 2024. "The Hidden Demand for Flexibility: a Theory for Gendered Employment Dynamics," TSE Working Papers 24-1588, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    9. Patnaik, Arpita & Pauley, Gwyn & Venator, Joanna & Wiswall, Matthew, 2024. "The impacts of same and opposite gender alumni speakers on interest in economics," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    10. Heather Sarsons, 2024. "How the other half works: Claudia Goldin's contributions to our understanding of women's labour market outcomes," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 126(3), pages 419-439, July.
    11. Carlos F. Avenancio-León & Alessio Piccolo & Leslie Sheng Shen, 2024. "Self-reinforcing Glass Ceilings," Working Papers 24-14, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    12. Rebecca Jack & Daniel Tannenbaum & Brenden Timpe, 2025. "The Parenthood Gap: Firms and Earnings Inequality After Kids," Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute Working Papers 110, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    13. Okumura, Tsunao & Ueno, Yuko & Usui, Emiko, 2024. "Effects of mandatory residencies on female physicians’ specialty choices: Evidence from Japan's new medical residency program," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    14. Dorothée Averkamp & Christian Bredemeier & Falko Juessen, 2024. "Decomposing gender wage gaps: a family economics perspective," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 126(1), pages 3-37, January.

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