The challenges of parenthood and a career in medicine
"Unfortunately as a society we seem to have overlooked the worry and anxiety of our doctors? during this critical life stage of becoming a parent."
Do you think that the stress and anxiety that doctors experience during pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting is different from the stress and anxiety experienced by those who are not in the medical field?
“Being a gynaecologist I deliver many babies every day. Even in difficult cases your medical training helps you keep the mother calm and the baby healthy. But everything comes to zero when you hold your own baby in your arms. I was scared of handling my baby!”
The answer is NO!. Becoming a parent is a life-changing event. Doctor moms and dads experience the same anxieties you and I felt as first time parents. All the clinical training and knowledge gets overshadowed by holding a piece of you in your arms.?
But here is where the similarity ends. Childbirth is a time when doctors are at a significant disadvantage vs the patients they care for. Let’s look at a few unique challenges of doctor moms and dads.
No/limited parental leave?
It is a common misconception that doctors have maternity or paternity leave. In reality, the majority of the doctors going through childbirth are not entitled to any type of leave. However, this is not the case with most private practices. Young doctors typically are on consulting/temporary contracts - both in private and government practice - with no paid maternity leave. In fact there is no guarantee of the role being available when they plan to return.
There is a disparity between the maternity and paternity leaves for women and men in the medical field. Female medical students get 90 days maternity leave without impacting graduation date. Male students get zero days paternity leave.?
“A colleague came back to clinical duties 7 days after her C-section delivery. Not sure if that is something we should be proud of… we force doctors to have to choose financial security over health and family needs...”
On one hand we have medical literature and guidelines which recommend that mothers and fathers should bond with the baby in the initial days. But then we make it impossible for doctor dads to follow the advice they give to their patients.
Challenges of night shifts & late night calls
One of the major difficulties for new moms is that they have to be available for night duties and late-night calls. This can be a difficult task for moms who work in the medical field, especially if they are expecting a call in the middle of the night. The doctor moms want to take care of their patients first, but it can be hard when they also have to take care of their newborns.
“I used to drive to the hospital with our baby and sit in the hospital parking lot when my wife was on night duty. So that she could come and feed the baby and spend time with the baby at night”
The doctor moms & dads who are working at night don’t get much sleep because they have to do both jobs – caring for patients and taking care of their children. And even if they are lucky enough to get some sleep, it might not be enough.
Lack of childcare support
Doctors do not have access to childcare facilities at work, unlike corporate employees who can use the office creche / childcare to be close to their children. In fact most hospitals have restrictions on children and caretakers accompanying doctors.?
领英推荐
Motherhood and MD/MS - timing matters?
Women who decide to pursue a career in medicine have a difficult time balancing family life with their career/academic goals. Today, as patients prefer to get treatment from specialists and super specialists, a basic MBBS degree just won't do. Doctors need to pursue MD or MS programs to specialise and perhaps even do a Fellowship.?
Unlike other professional post graduate programs which are typically for two years,? a medical PG course requires three years of effort. Further the limited number of seats and competition makes it critical for young doctors to plan family and further education meticulously. This becomes even more crucial for doctor couples as both have to complete PG, start a family , build clinical practice - all of this with limited support.
Restricted career options and impact on career
The data clearly shows that women choose non-surgical specialties in medicine. This is driven by two factors - a longer course duration for surgical specialties and always being on call for emergencies.??
This leads to gender inequality in certain fields of medicine which will be difficult to break, unless the right support ecosystem is put in place.
Lastly, just like every other career, in medicine too, the moms take a 2-3 year hit to their career progress around every childbirth.?
Parenting - good for patients - challenging for doctors?
The parenthood transition has a significant impact on doctors’ interaction with patients. Doctor moms and dads say that becoming a parent has made them more compassionate and empathetic towards patients. They also know how hard it can be for both the parents and the child when they are sick or in pain.
“Becoming a dad changed my perspective on the importance of relationships. I am able to better appreciate the concern that families have when making difficult medical decisions.“
“I became more compassionate. I could relate to the anxiety of parents and empathise more with the emotional support people need when they seek medical care.”
Doctors often have to prioritise patient care over family. This is because they are required to be available at all times. They need to be on call for emergencies and can't always take time off for their own family’s needs. But the initial childbirth phase need not be as difficult as it is today. Doctor moms and dads deserve the same support and benefits as any other parent.
I think it is time we care for our carers during this significant life-change. I have outlined three easy to implement initiatives to help doctor moms and dads? -?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At Laado we would like to support doctors moms and dads . We have reserved spots for doctors & medical students on our program to help working moms and dads succeed at balancing little babies and big ambitions. Visit the link to save your spot in the next session June 2022.