Related Experiment Videos
Parenting and professionalism: competing and enriching commitments
D K Shrier1, A M Brodkin, A Sondheimer
1George Washington University.
Journal of the American Medical Women'S Association (1972)
|July 1, 1993
Summary
This medical school elective helps students balance career and family life. It covers topics relevant to women physicians balancing dual responsibilities.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Sociology of Medicine
- Family Studies
Background:
- Balancing a medical career with family responsibilities presents unique challenges.
- Women physicians disproportionately shoulder family and household duties alongside demanding careers.
- Existing medical curricula often lack focus on work-life integration for physicians.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a first-year medical school elective designed to address work-life balance.
- To provide a model for other institutions seeking to offer similar courses.
- To support students, particularly women physicians, in navigating career and family commitments.
Main Methods:
- An eight-session elective course format.
- Content delivery through seminars, videotapes, readings, and interviews.
- Inclusion of diverse perspectives from physicians, spouses, and children.
Main Results:
- The course curriculum covers parenting, attachment, dual-career families, physician lifestyles, family planning, childcare, and practice alternatives.
- Interactive methods facilitate discussion and learning about work-life integration.
- The elective aims to equip future physicians with strategies for managing dual roles.
Conclusions:
- This elective provides a framework for medical schools to teach essential work-life balance skills.
- Replication of this course can better prepare physicians for fulfilling personal and professional lives.
- Addressing these issues early in medical training is crucial for physician well-being and retention.