Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

How do we keep women physicians in medicine?

Nisha Mehta, MD
Physician
May 16, 2018
Share
Tweet
Share

Undoubtedly, my favorite part of my non-clinical work is hearing from fellow physicians about their lives in medicine.  Every once in a while, I receive an email that puts beautifully into words some of my own struggles.

A few weeks ago, I received an email from a colleague outlining her personal journey through her career, which she was hoping other physicians would benefit from as well.  I know it spoke to me, and wanted to share it (with permission) after anonymizing some of the details.

Hi Nisha,

I did my residency and fellowship in (…).  During my residency, I decided to have a baby without realizing how hard it would be to take care of a newborn. My husband is a physician, and I got through it, but I realized then that one of us has to cut down on the work hours.

Jobs market was tight after I finished my fellowship with almost no part positions. I decided to take up a telemedicine position as we were also planning to have another baby. I work for a great company, but my dream job is an academic position.

When I did this, my professors in my program started to question my decision. They even started suggesting that I do something else. Kids will go … get a good job … one of our relatives said I would lose my skills and needed to look for another job.  One of the medical staff asked, “When are you going to get a real job?” One of my peers said that he was feeling sorry for me.

In the meantime, I could sense that my daughter wanted me to spend more time with her. I knew this job would give me the time I needed to be with my daughter, but I was in fear of what would happen. I would have felt better with my decision if I had received positive feedback about my decision.

I also wanted to do something academic after a few years, and everyone said that it might not be easy.

Finally, I decided to do a locums at an academic center. I was doing two jobs with one job with full-time night work. All because I let myself get affected by people’s perceptions. One day I got palpitations from the amount of work I saw on my list of things to do.

Then I came across a video of Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo, saying that women still can’t have it all. With that, I quit my locums job and have not looked back.

I have finally settled into my job and found people who value work-life balance. I enjoy my kids more and enjoy my work. I have a great bond with my daughter. Let me be honest — my daughter did not like me before because I was too busy.

My question is why does it have to be so hard? Why are there not enough part-time academic and private jobs for women? If I had the choice, I would have done a part-time academic job while my kids are young and then gone full time after a few years. Women could be more productive if given a chance and if there was more understanding of their needs.

I hope to see more part-time jobs in the coming years with more women having happy, balanced lives without them having to choose between family and what they want to do.

Hope your work in the field helps change the workaholic culture in medicine to some degree. Let me know what I can do to contribute.

ADVERTISEMENT

Thank you.

 To me, this email summarizes so many of the dilemmas that women physicians face: the constant weighing of our professional desires against our goals for our families, and the frustration with lack of flexible job options.  I don’t think I need to summarize these in this post, since the email does such a wonderful job of demonstrating it.

One point I’d like to make though — on a larger level, I worry about this regularly from a societal perspective.  This year, a little over 50 percent of physicians matriculating in medical school are female.  Statistically, a significant majority (up to 85 percent in some polls) of female physicians are married to other professionals, and therefore may not be as financially dependent on their physician incomes.  I hear this so frequently from my female physician colleagues and friends.  We love what we do and want to be able to do it, but can’t find options that work within the context of the rest of our lives, and ultimately, many decide to exit clinical practice or cut back more than they would like since there aren’t many intermediate options.

At what point do we make it just too hard to stay in medicine?  As we consider the rising physician burnout rate as well as the rising physician shortage, are we doing enough to keep our physicians (male and female) in medicine?  Increasingly, I hear from male physicians who are struggling with the same dilemmas in regards to wanting to cut down.  To me, this is one of the most compelling arguments for increased flexibility in job options from a societal and institutional standpoint.  I understand that it would entail significant restructuring of clinic and call schedules, and perhaps the way that we deliver care globally, but ultimately, I believe that principals of supply and demand will lead to these options.  What I hope is that we don’t lose too many qualified and caring physicians as we resist these changes in physician demographics.

Nisha Mehta is a radiologist and founder, Physician Side Gigs and the Physician Side Gigs Facebook group.  She can be reached at her self-titled site, Nisha Mehta, MD, and on Twitter @nishamehtamd. 

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

A doctor's life. Ready. Rinse. Repeat.

May 16, 2018 Kevin 0
…
Next

The lows don’t mean you are loser

May 17, 2018 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Hospital-Based Medicine, Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
A doctor's life. Ready. Rinse. Repeat.
Next Post >
The lows don’t mean you are loser

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Nisha Mehta, MD

  • CMS Medicare fee cuts: The altruism of physicians is used against them

    Nisha Mehta, MD
  • A physician faces criminal charges for going above and beyond #WeAreDrGokal

    Nisha Mehta, MD
  • In the midst of a pandemic, remember that physician practices are small businesses too

    Nisha Mehta, MD

Related Posts

  • Social media: The ultimate tool for women in medicine

    Meridith J. Englander, MD
  • Are patients using social media to attack physicians?

    David R. Stukus, MD
  • The risk physicians take when going on social media

    Anonymous
  • Lifting up women physicians makes us all better

    Jim Eubanks
  • How social media can advance humanism in medicine

    Pooja Lakshmin, MD
  • Beware of pseudoscience: The desperate need for physicians on social media

    Valerie A. Jones, MD

More in Physician

  • The unseen burden patients carry between appointments

    Ryan Nadelson, MD
  • My journey to loving primary care again

    Jerina Gani, MD, MPH
  • Why doctors striking may be the most ethical choice

    Patrick Hudson, MD
  • How photos shape drug stigma—and what we can do about it

    Jeffrey Hom, MD, MPH, MSHP
  • From participants to partners: Rethinking clinical trial design

    Robert Den, MD
  • First-name familiarity improves doctor-patient connection

    Ryan Nadelson, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • How AI, animals, and ecosystems reveal a new kind of intelligence

      Fateh Entabi, MD | Tech
    • Why kratom addiction is the next public health crisis

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Meds
    • A physician employment agreement term that often tricks physicians

      Dennis Hursh, Esq | Finance
    • Why taxing remittances harms families and global health care

      Dalia Saha, MD | Finance
    • The hidden moral injury behind value-based health care

      Jonathan Bushman, DO | Physician
    • Nurse-initiated protocols for sepsis: a strategic imperative for patient care and hospital operations

      Rhonda Collins, DNP, RN | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Affordable postpartum hemorrhage solutions every OB/GYN should know

      Frank I. Jackson, DO | Conditions
    • Why kratom addiction is the next public health crisis

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Meds
    • Why taxing remittances harms families and global health care

      Dalia Saha, MD | Finance
    • How are prostate exams done and why you shouldn’t avoid them

      Martina Ambardjieva, MD, PhD | Conditions
    • Airlines’ policy ignores your do not resuscitate (DNR): Discover why and some ways to protect yourself

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • A dual citizen’s choice between two imperfect systems [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 46 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • How AI, animals, and ecosystems reveal a new kind of intelligence

      Fateh Entabi, MD | Tech
    • Why kratom addiction is the next public health crisis

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Meds
    • A physician employment agreement term that often tricks physicians

      Dennis Hursh, Esq | Finance
    • Why taxing remittances harms families and global health care

      Dalia Saha, MD | Finance
    • The hidden moral injury behind value-based health care

      Jonathan Bushman, DO | Physician
    • Nurse-initiated protocols for sepsis: a strategic imperative for patient care and hospital operations

      Rhonda Collins, DNP, RN | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Affordable postpartum hemorrhage solutions every OB/GYN should know

      Frank I. Jackson, DO | Conditions
    • Why kratom addiction is the next public health crisis

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Meds
    • Why taxing remittances harms families and global health care

      Dalia Saha, MD | Finance
    • How are prostate exams done and why you shouldn’t avoid them

      Martina Ambardjieva, MD, PhD | Conditions
    • Airlines’ policy ignores your do not resuscitate (DNR): Discover why and some ways to protect yourself

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • A dual citizen’s choice between two imperfect systems [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

How do we keep women physicians in medicine?
46 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...