Female GPs Earn Less Per Hour, Study Shows Gender Pay Gap
03 Dec 2025
Female GPs in Australia are earning significantly less than their male colleagues, according to new research. On average, women earn $24.14 less per consulting hour, equivalent to almost $40,000 a year for the same number of consultation hours.
The study, commissioned by Ochre Health, looked at Medicare billings from 511 GPs across 70 clinics in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, and the ACT. It used data from Cubiko collected between July 2023 and June 2024.
One of the key findings is that female GPs see fewer patients per hour, even though they spend slightly more per patient, on average, three minutes longer. Male GPs saw 0.25 more patients per hour, and female GPs also recorded around 77 fewer consulting hours across the year, working 589.7 hours compared with 666.3 hours for men.
RACGP Vice President Dr Ramya Raman said the findings reflect what female GPs experience daily. “This isn’t about paying women less for the same item number,” she explained. “It’s about recognising the complexity of the consultations women provide and the extra time many spend with patients, particularly in training and early-career roles.”
The pay gap was more pronounced outside major cities, peaking at 17% in Modified Monash Area 4. Differences in the use of chronic disease management items, international graduate status, or younger GPs were not major factors.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the findings highlight the need to better support complex consultations through Medicare rebates. “Level C and D items, which cover longer and more complex care, are often provided by female GPs. Recognising this is key to addressing the pay gap,” he said.
The study authors also noted that their dataset had a regional bias, with heavier representation from the ACT, NSW, and Tasmania, and called for further research to understand appointment volume differences and track trends over time.
A review of time-based MBS items is underway to see if they adequately reflect modern clinical practice, with consultation on the changes expected in early 2026.
News Source: RACGP
