Extract

The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the Uniformed Services University. LTC Nguyen is an Army representative on the MHS Council for Female Physician Recruitment and Retention.

The Military Health System (MHS) Council for Female Physician Recruitment and Retention (CFPR&R) was formed in response to higher female attrition rates and the relatively lower rates of military women physicians in senior roles as compared to their male counterparts.1–4 These disparities vary by service and specialty but remain pronounced, nonetheless. For example, women comprise 44% of early career (O3/LT) Family Physicians in the Navy; however, that percentage drops to only 12% at the level of O6/CAPT.5 One initiative to promote female officer retention through leadership development is the MHS Female Physician Leadership Course (FPLC), held annually at Defense Health Headquarters (DHHQ) in Falls Church, Virginia. Mid-career female physicians across all services are competitively selected to attend.

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