INTRODUCTION:
Physician satisfaction improves patient outcomes. The number of physicians who are also mothers is increasing. Our study aims to describe experiences of ob/gyn physicians who are also mothers.
METHODS:
Constructed and validated a Redcap survey. Invited members of an online ob/gyn-mom group to participate.
RESULTS:
We obtained 232 responses. Over 50% are hospital-employed, 20% in academics, and 20% in private practice. 70% work with trainees and half do research. Median clinical hours per week is 45, non-clinical 5. Over 75% perform deliveries and 60% have at least some in-house call. Most commonly used child-care are daycare/pre-school, K-12 school, and nanny/au-pair. Eighty-percent rate professional morale as very or somewhat positive and 80% would choose medicine as a career again although half would retire today if possible. Patient relationships and intellectual stimulation were the most important factors contributing to satisfaction; long-hours and liability/defensive medicine were the most common negative factors. Sixty-percent were unsatisfied with amount of time available to spend with children, 70% about time with partner, and 75% about time spent in personal hobbies/activities. 90% agree that motherhood has improved them as physicians; half agree that being a physician has made them better mothers. 80% agree that female physicians face unequal treatment; 75% agree that physician-parents face unequal treatment.
CONCLUSION:
Ob/gyn physician-mothers have high professional morale but are dissatisfied with amount of time available for extra-professional activities, especially family-time. Almost all respondents feel that motherhood had made them better physicians but only half feel that being a physician has made them better mothers.
