Pediatrician Work Hours: 2013-2022

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Pediatrics
• Workforce studies

Background:

• Understanding pediatrician work hours is crucial for workforce planning and well-being.
• Longitudinal data on work hours and their impact on work-life balance are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze annual variations in pediatrician total and direct patient care work hours over a decade.
• To identify factors associated with work hours, including pediatrician characteristics and work-life balance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the American Academy of Pediatrics Pediatrician Life and Career Experience Study (PLACES), a national longitudinal study (2013-2022).
• Employed mixed-effects linear regression to analyze longitudinal work-hour patterns.
• Developed pediatrician profiles and explored associations with work-life balance measures.

Main Results:

• Mean weekly work hours were 42.8 total and 33.3 for direct patient care.
• Men and subspecialists reported significantly more work hours than women and general pediatricians.
• A slight decrease in total work hours was observed annually; higher work hours correlated with lower work-life balance.

Conclusions:

• Direct patient care constitutes approximately 75% of total work hours for pediatricians.
• Work hour trends show a slight annual decline, with men, subspecialists, and hospitalists working longer hours.
• Increased work hours are negatively associated with pediatrician work-life balance.