Work–life balance among female dermatologists

Abstract

Background: Female dermatologists often face the challenges of balancing a rewarding medical career with duties of home life and childrearing. Excessive responsibility at home or work can introduce barriers to balance and prove detrimental to the health and wellness of the physician. Objective: We aim to perform a needs assessment through a series of survey questions with regard to home and work responsibilities and impacts on mental health. Methods: Survey participants were selected from the Women’s Dermatologic Society through an e-mail invitation with a link to an anonymous survey tool and a paper questionnaire at the Women’s Dermatologic Society Forum in February 2019 in Dallas, Texas. The survey included 20 questions with regard to household responsibilities, child care, clinical responsibilities, specialty education, and impacts on personal time, sleep, and overall sense of well-being. There were a total of 127 respondents. Results: Eighty-five percent of physicians in our cohort are currently married. A large percent of respondents utilized hired household help in the form of nannies to perform chores. Spousal contribution was emphasized in this cohort and often highlighted as an important factor in maintaining home life duties. Conclusion: The professional women in our cohort may be balancing work and life at the expense of personal physical and mental health with little time to exercise and fewer hours of sleep per night. Keywords: Work–life balance, female professionals, female dermatologists, Women’s Dermatologic Society, physician burnout