Achieving an ideal work-life balance is the toughest challenge faced by medical residents, according to a Medscape survey featuring responses from more than 1,900 residents.
The second greatest challenge was dealing with time pressures and demands on time, followed by the fear of failure or making a serious mistake. The top two challenges have remained the same for the last three years of the survey.
Here are some other notable findings from the 2018 Medscape Residents Lifestyle & Happiness Report:
- 25 percent of residents say bullying is often or occasionally a problem, while 36 percent say it is never a problem and 40 percent believe it is “rarely” a problem. Attending physicians (58 percent) and nurses (50 percent) were most often singled out for bullying behavior.
- 10 percent of residents reported being depressed always or most of the time, while 33 percent reported being depressed sometimes.
- Likewise, 10 percent of residents reported having thoughts of suicide but never attempting it. Zero said they had attempted it, 85 percent said they’d never considered suicide and 4 percent preferred not to answer the question.
- 5 percent of respondents said they were too tired to function well always or most of the time, while another 34 percent said they were sometimes too fatigued to function well because of long shifts.
Unsurprisingly, the residents appeared to be focused on protecting their work-life balance as much as possible. Three-quarters of respondents said “work schedule/call hours” will be a key factor they look for in a first job—the No. 1 response, even ahead of salary (66 percent). Also, 65 percent noted they set aside at least some time for personal wellness.
Despite the long hours and worries about burnout, 87 percent of those surveyed said they are still looking forward to their careers as doctors.
Daniel joined TriMed’s Chicago editorial team in 2017 as a Cardiovascular Business writer. He previously worked as a writer for daily newspapers in North Dakota and Indiana.