Do male or female applicants have an advantage for positions in the veterinary medicine industry?

According to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau for 2009 and 2010, women earn an average of $10,849 less than men annually (DeNavas-Walt et al., 2010). Specifically in the field of veterinary medicine, the average first year income for males was $2,000 higher than for females (Heath & Lanyon, 2996). Research has also demonstrated sex bias in the application review process, with male applicants being viewed as more competent and deserving of a higher salary, even with credentials identical to those of the female applicant (Moss-Rascusin et al., 2012). For the current research, seventy-two participants studying animal science or related fields were recruited from Iowa State University. They were randomly assigned to review either of two resumes, each identical except for a masculine or feminine name. Participants assessed the applicant on willingness to hire and salary measures. Upon review of the data, it was found that no significant differences exist between the male applicant and the female applicant for all measures, and any differences between the two applicants were microscopic. These results are encouraging, in that they signify that neither access nor salary discrimination between males and females occurs in the field of veterinary medicine.