Name File Type Size Last Modified
  ado 05/09/2025 12:20:AM
  clogit 05/09/2025 12:20:AM
  data 05/09/2025 12:22:AM
  descriptives 05/09/2025 12:22:AM
  homophily 05/09/2025 12:22:AM
  import 05/09/2025 12:22:AM
  longitudinal 05/09/2025 12:20:AM
  paygap 05/09/2025 12:20:AM
  tables 05/09/2025 12:22:AM
._README.pdf application/octet-stream 4 KB 05/08/2025 08:22:PM

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary I assess the extent to which the gender gap in physician earnings may be driven by physicians' preference for referring to specialists of the same gender. Analyzing administrative data on 100 million Medicare patient referrals, I provide robust evidence that doctors refer more to specialists of their own gender. I show that biased referrals are predominantly driven by physicians' decisions rather than by endogenous sorting of physicians or patients. Because most referring doctors are male, the net impact of same-gender bias by both male and female doctors generates lower demand for female relative to male specialists, pointing to a positive externality for increased female participation in medicine.

Scope of Project

JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      H51 National Government Expenditures and Health
      I11 Analysis of Health Care Markets
      J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
      J31 Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
      J44 Professional Labor Markets; Occupational Licensing


Related Publications

Published Versions

Export Metadata

Report a Problem

Found a serious problem with the data, such as disclosure risk or copyrighted content? Let us know.

This material is distributed exactly as it arrived from the data depositor. ICPSR has not checked or processed this material. Users should consult the investigator(s) if further information is desired.