Burnout in Female Faculty Members.
Lisa Cassidy-Vu1, Keli Beck1, Justin B Moore1
11 Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
|September 22, 2016
Summary
Female physicians face unique challenges in academic medicine, leading to burnout and underrepresentation. Addressing these issues requires consistent institutional policies to support work-life balance and career advancement for women in medicine.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Gender Studies in Medicine
- Health Policy
Background:
- Despite equal numbers of male and female medical school graduates, women are underrepresented in academic medicine faculty positions.
- Female faculty members experience higher rates of burnout, often linked to gender-specific clinical expectations and work-life balance difficulties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the inconsistencies in policies and daily experiences affecting female faculty in academic medicine.
- To propose actionable solutions for mitigating challenges faced by women in academic medicine, aiming to enhance diversity and strength within the field.
Main Methods:
- This commentary analyzes existing evidence regarding the experiences of female faculty members in academic medicine.
- It identifies systemic issues contributing to gender disparities in faculty retention and well-being.
Main Results:
- Inconsistent application of supportive policies exacerbates the challenges faced by female faculty.
- Gender-specific difficulties in clinical roles and work-life integration contribute significantly to burnout among women.
Conclusions:
- Implementing consistent, supportive institutional policies is crucial for retaining and advancing female faculty in academic medicine.
- Diversifying academic medicine requires proactive strategies to address the unique challenges encountered by women, thereby strengthening the field.
More Related Videos
07:32Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity
Published on: February 10, 2016
9.9K
06:15A Multiple Integrated Social Stress Model for Psychiatric Disorders in Female C57BL/6J Mice
Published on: July 15, 2025
1.4K
Related Concept Videos
02:09Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies
43.1K
When we hold a stereotype about a person, we have expectations that he or she will fulfill that stereotype. A self-fulfilling prophecy is an expectation held by a person that alters his or her behavior in a way that tends to make it true. When we hold stereotypes about a person, we tend to treat the person according to our expectations. This treatment can influence the person to act according to our stereotypic expectations, thus confirming our stereotypic beliefs. Research by Rosenthal and...
43.1K
01:21Fatigue
958
Fatigue occurs when materials rupture under repeated or fluctuating loads, even at stress levels far below their static breaking strength. It typically results in brittle failure, even for ductile materials. It is a critical consideration in designing machines and structural components subjected to repetitive or varying loads. The nature of these loadings can range from fluctuating loads like unbalanced pump impellers causing vibrations to repeatedly bending a thin steel rod wire back and forth...
958
01:24Disorders of the Female Reproductive System
4.7K
The female reproductive system can be affected by several disorders, including Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), endometriosis, and various forms of cancer. PMS and PMDD are cyclical conditions that cause physical and emotional distress, with symptoms that include edema, mood swings, and food cravings. PMDD is a more severe form of PMS characterized by increased symptom severity that peaks during the luteal phase and tends to improve or resolve shortly after...
4.7K
01:28Menopause
5.1K
Menopause, a natural biological process marking the end of a woman's fertility, typically occurs between the fifth and sixth decade of life. This phase is characterized by the exhaustion of the ovarian follicle pool, leading to less responsive ovaries despite the high levels of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH). The consequential decrease in estrogen production results in symptoms like hot flashes, heavy sweating, headaches, hair loss, muscle pains, vaginal...
5.1K
01:28Infertility in Females
5.0K
Female infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after a year of regular, unprotected intercourse and affects about 10–15% of couples worldwide. The primary cause of female infertility is ovulatory disorders, which hinder the release of eggs. These disorders can be classified as hypothalamic amenorrhea, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian failure, and hyperprolactinemic anovulation disorders.
Endometriosis, a condition characterized by abnormal growth of...
Endometriosis, a condition characterized by abnormal growth of...
5.0K
01:28Ending Relationships
237
The dissolution of intimate relationships presents complex emotional and psychological challenges, particularly when emotional bonds are strong, the relationship is long-standing, and perceived alternatives are limited. This distress often intensifies in romantic breakups, where the initiator may experience greater turmoil than the rejected partner. Contributing factors include residual attachment, guilt over causing pain, and uncertainty about how to manage the situation. The stress is further...
237