Synthesizing solutions across the lifespan: Mid-career

Abstract

Burnout in physicians is increasingly common, and the highest rate of burnout occurs in practicing physicians who have been in the workforce for 6-10 years. The specific issues and contributors to burnout in the mid-career female physician have not been well studied; such women may be managing simultaneous stressors in the categories of family, personal health, and career. This time frame is also the point at which time spent in clinical practice, research, education, or administration may be in conflict with requirements for promotions. Physicians in the mid-career stage are more likely than other career stages to plan to leave medicine within the next 24 months for reasons other than retirement. While it is unlikely that any single solution will solve all ills, this chapter presents a number of ideas for the individual and institutional toolboxes to address burnout for mid-career women physicians.