Table 4.

 Years from qualifying as doctor to first appointment as NHS general practice principal or hospital consultant split by working pattern during training. Values are median; fastest quarter (number)

	Combined cohorts*		1977 graduates		1988 graduates		1993 graduates
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
Achieved general practice principal status
All	5.8; 4.6†§ (1158)	6.8; 5.2† (1010)	5.1; 4.2† (523)	6.3; 4.6† (282)	6.2; 5.1†§ (394)	6.6; 5.2† (426)	6.7; 5.2†§ (241)	7.3; 5.6† (302)
Always full time	5.6; 4.6‡ (1095)	5.6; 4.6‡§ (610)	5.0; 4.2 (513)	5.1; 4.2‡ (171)	6.2; 5.0‡ (368)	5.6; 4.6‡§ (253)	6.4; 5.1‡ (214)	6.0; 5.0‡§ (186)
Not always full time	9.8; 6.9‡ (56)	9.3; 6.9‡ (394)	9.2; 7.5 (5)	12.5; 8.3‡ (110)	10.1; 6.7‡ (24)	8.6; 6.5‡ (172)	9.8; 6.9‡ (27)	8.8; 6.9‡ (112)
Achieved consultant status
All	11.7; 10.1† (1269)	12.3; 10.5† (548)	11.9; 9.6† (647)	12.7; 10.1† (185)	11.7; 10.4† (622)	12.2; 10.6† (363)	NC; 10.4 (313)	NC; 10.5 (208)
Always full time	11.7; 10.1‡ (1243)	11.3; 10.0‡ (382)	11.8; 9.6 (632)	11.2; 9.3‡ (131)	11.7; 10.4‡ (611)	11.4; 10.1‡ (251)	11.5; 10.4 (308)	11.2; 10.1‡ (171)
Not always full time	14.0; 12.2‡ (15)	14.7; 12.5‡ (162)	13.5; 12.2 (7)	17.5; 14.1‡ (52)	14.2; 12.0‡ (8)	13.9; 12.1‡ (110)	NC; 10.3 (5)	NC; 11.5‡ (36)

NC=median could not be calculated because 50% had not yet become consultants.

*All three cohorts for general practice principals; 1977 and 1988 cohorts for consultants.

†Significant differences (at 0.01 level, based on log rank tests) between men and women (for all doctors, for doctors who always worked full time during training, and for doctors who did not always work full time during training).

‡Significant differences between doctors who always worked full time during training and those who did not always work full time during training (for men and for women).

§Significant differences between women who always worked full time during training and all men.