Do women medical students outperform men in obstetrics and gynecology?

Purpose. To determine whether there is a difference between the performances of women and men students in the study of obstetrics and gynecology. Method. 127 students in the classes of 1996 and 1997 at the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine studied obstetrics and gynecology as part of a four-week module on human reproduction in the fall of their second year. The module was followed by an 80-question multiple-choice examination. In their third year, the students rotated through a six-week clinical clerkship, during which they were scored on many aspects of their work, including relationships with patients. The present study examined by gender the students' overall clerkship scores, their ability to relate to patients, and their performances on the multiple-choice examination. Results. No significant difference between the scores of the women students and the men students were found for the module's multiple-choice examination or for the clerkship's score on relationships with patients. However, the women scored significantly better than the men in the clerkship's overall score. Conclusion. The women students clearly outperformed the men students during the clinical clerkship on obstetrics and gynecology. The reasons for this are not immediately apparent. Further investigation is necessary.