Women and Minority Ethnic Doctors Now the Majority in UK for the First Time

New data marks a historic milestone in the UK medical workforce but highlights ongoing disparities in representation and career progression.

For the first time, women make up 50.04% of licensed doctors in the UK, surpassing men in the profession, according to the General Medical Council (GMC).
Over half of the UK’s medical workforce now identifies as Black, Asian, or minority ethnic, reflecting increased diversity in the profession.
Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in surgical and intensive care specialties, with only 35% of surgeons being female and declining numbers in intensive care medicine.
Doctors from some minority ethnic backgrounds face barriers, including lower promotion rates, higher disciplinary actions, and reports of workplace harassment.
Experts emphasize that greater diversity in the workforce improves patient outcomes but stress the need for systemic changes to support career progression and work-life balance for women and minority doctors.