Articles related to WORK-LIFE BALANCE

In this KevinMD.com podcast/article, the nurse practitioner sums up their current feelings in the last words of the piece: “If I leave now, I still deal with this for months, plus all of my patient’s grief and feelings of betrayal. If I stay, maybe it will get better. It could hardly get worse. But in the end, I don’t want to lose myself either, and at some point, there has to be a line that is too far. It is just hard to know what that is anymore.”

According to a study of 135,000 doctors by Doximity, male physicians made, on average, 28% more than females in 2020, a 3% increase from the 2019 numbers. The survey, along with Medscape’s poll in 2021 that showed male specialist physicians overall making 33% more than females, points to a few other large gender pay gaps, as well as some in which women doctors make salaries closer to those of men.

In this article/podcast from KevinMD.com, Dr. Kristin Yates, an OB/GYN, describes her work as a doctor, which “brings me fulfillment and joy. It makes me a better doctor.” Dr. Yates also explains: “The fact of the matter is, I am not a doctor. I am a human being. Doctoring is what I do, not who I am. This distinction is very important to me because it is what has made medicine sustainable and fulfilling.”

We touched on the “non-medical” books that should be on every doctor’s list in a previous newsletter; in this article, we’re directing you to the most important books on pandemics throughout history. As COVID-19 slows down in the US – but still rages on in other countries – it’s important to prepare yourself for what comes next and gather insights to best combat the unknown if and when it does arrive.

Dead may be the wrong word – antiquated, maybe? – as the white-color 9-to-5 office job is becoming a thing of the past. According to this article, a new workforce and new work demands require a fresh approach to work/life balance. A 2019 Mayo Clinic Proceedings article detailed this approach for physicians, transforming work/life into three categories to consider: Work, Yourself, and Others.

Is perfectionism a net positive? What drives you forward so you can meet your goals and standards? Is it sustainable? It’s perfectly understandable that you strive to deliver the highest quality care for your patients; however, it’s impossible to reach unachievable standards. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to find the balance between accepting your flaws and performing at a high level.