Career Vitality: Perceptions from Women Faculty in Health Professions

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Occupational Psychology
• Sociology of Professions

Background:

• Career vitality is crucial for sustained engagement and success in academic and professional settings.
• Women faculty in health professions often face unique challenges in balancing personal and professional life commitments.
• Understanding the factors contributing to career vitality is essential for supporting faculty well-being and retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore perceptions of career vitality among women faculty in health professions.
• To identify strategies employed by these faculty to achieve personal-professional-life equilibrium.
• To understand the facilitators and barriers to achieving career vitality.

Main Methods:

• A 2-round Delphi method was employed with 16 women faculty from the National Academies of Practice.
• Qualitative analysis was used to identify themes related to career vitality, equilibrium, and strategies.
• Data collection focused on consensus-generated descriptors and personal experiences.

Main Results:

• Key descriptors for career vitality included 'growth mindset,' 'motivated/passionate,' and 'collaborative.'
• Personal-professional-life equilibrium was characterized by 'prioritize,' 'balance,' and 'nimbleness.'
• Personal resilience emerged as a primary strategy for achieving equilibrium, alongside organizational tools to address systemic challenges like traditional role expectations.

Conclusions:

• Achieving career vitality and personal-professional-life equilibrium presents significant challenges for women faculty.
• The identified strategies can empower women faculty to better manage work demands during periods of high challenge and low resources.
• Promoting a growth mindset, resilience, and supportive organizational structures can enhance career vitality in health professions.