“Today... increasing numbers of doctors - mostly women - decide to work part time or leave the profession. Since 2005 the part-time physician workforce has expanded by 62 percent, according to recent survey data from the American Medical Group Association, with nearly 4 in 10 female doctors between the ages of 35 and 44 reporting in 2010 that they worked part time.
This may seem like a personal decision, but it has serious consequences for patients and the public. ” — By Lisa Belkin
Readers' Comments:
“Personally I would rather have myself, and my children, be seen by a doctor who works 40 hours a week than by someone who pretends to be alert enough to work 110 hours a week.” — Posted by Anne
“This principle is already applied to those who receive military training and benefits. There is no part-time or mommy-track deployment to Afghanistan for women soldiers!” — Posted by NBH
@ Saint, [Female doctors need the option to work part-time due to pregnancy and the need to raise their children. Since the majority of medical practices are groups anyway, this allows another member associate to take-up the out-patient practice load of a part-time associate.]
Absolutely women should be doctors and God bless you for the wisdom of your answer! I find it really ironic that the physician who wrote the book, ‘Torn’ is a female who is like so chauvinistic if I can use that word. It’s like she wants to take women back to the time when we had no rights and jobs except domestic. What is her freaking problem anyway? It appears that men are more empathetic to the plight of work life balance for their female counter parts.
Even in nursing which is dominated by females, one would think that we would be more sympathetic because we are all in the same “boat” with families and juggling shift work, right? It’s not the case (being understanding to fellow nurses) at all!!!
Take for instance my situation; I work part time because it works best for my family and allows me to do errands and to participate in my LO’s school activities. Many of my colleagues work fulltime by choice or out of necessity (I’m not sure which one), but they are always trying to dump their shifts on me, because they think I’m not doing anything since I work only two days a week and can afford to help them out. I find it very odd that when I need for them to work for me, they are so busy or unavailable.
Selfishness at its best is what I think females in the health care profession are and that’s why people like Dr. Sibert can write books saying rubbish about women needing to rethink their career path of being a doctor if they want to have a family. WHATEVER!
By the way, Saint I hope you continue to be understanding to our needs especially your wife to be, Janelle ALWAYS!
