Challenges in academic obstetrics and gynecology departments

In 2011, the Association of American Medical Colleges conducted a multicenter survey to assess faculty satisfaction, engagement, and retention. This subanalysis describes the perceptions of academic obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns).

Fourteen U.S. institutions offered voluntary faculty survey participation. We analyzed demographic information and responses to items within the 10 work-related dimensions. This analysis used pooled cohort data for 329 ob-gyn respondents across institutions.

The mean response rate was 61.7% (9,600/15,570) overall and 66.9% for ob-gyn respondents. Most ob-gyn respondents reported satisfaction with work-related autonomy (72.2%) and a sense of accomplishment in their day-to-day activities (81.9%), including clarity about how their day-to-day activities fit into their medical school's mission (68.4%). In an average week, ob-gyn respondents reported working 59.4 hours on average. The mean percentage of effort varied by activity: patient care (54.8%), teaching (18.1%), research and scholarship (17.0%), and administration (15%). The mean proportion of ob-gyn respondents reporting that far too much or too much of their time and effort was spent on patient care was 35.1%, with more than half (59.5%) reporting far too little or too little of their time and effort was spent on research and scholarship and a third (33.3%) reporting far too little or too little time and effort devoted to teaching. Although 60.9% of respondents thought a mentor at their institution was important, only 22.2% reported a formal mentoring relationship. In the next 1-2 years, 13.4% reported seriously planning or being undecided (18.8%) about leaving their medical school.

Academic obstetrics and gynecology departments face challenges balancing faculty members' academic desires and clinical demands.

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