Most doctors would trade a salary reduction for more free time
More than half of physicians said they would take a pay cut in order to achieve a better work-life balance, according to new survey data published Friday.
Medscape queried more than 10,000 doctors from 29 different specialties for their annual “Physician Lifestyle & Happiness Report.” This years’ results provide a snapshot of how physicians are dealing with the stress and anxiety of the ongoing pandemic.
About 6 in 10 said they are currently “very” or “somewhat” happy outside of work, responding during the period spanning June through September 2021. By comparison, only about half of respondents claimed to be happy after-hours in last year’s survey.
An overwhelming majority (81%) were happy prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, similar to last years’ mark of 82%, the report authors noted.
The good news: many are taking action to maintain their happiness and mental health, including picking up hobbies such as reading or gardening (66%), exercising (65%) and eating healthy (45%), among other things.
“The pandemic, in all its harshness, has affected physicians in many ways, one being that life is precious, including their own,” Michael F. Myers, MD, a professor of clinical psychiatry at SUNY Downstate health Sciences University in New York, said.
Parents appear to be particularly affected by heavy work demands, with 35% of physician parents either “very conflicted” or “conflicted” by their professional pressures.
Female docs expressed feeling conflicted more often than their male counterparts (48% vs. 29%). Women would also be more willing to trade a salary reduction for more free time compared to their male peers (60% vs. 53%).
You can read more from Medscape’s annual report here.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.