Work/Life Balance: Is Going Part-Time Right for Your Medical Career?

According to Salary.com, surgeons and nurses rank among the top 10 most stressful jobs in America. So, it’s no surprise that many doctors and nurses give serious consideration to working part-time to help them enjoy their personal life as much as the meaningful work they do as healthcare professionals.

In the winter 2017 edition of Physician Family, family doctor Marsha Holleman, MD, MPH and her husband, wellness program director Warren Holleman, PhD, shared 10 lessons they learned when they decided to take their careers part-time in an effort to reduce stress, spend more time with their children, and save their marriage.

Below is a brief summary of five of the 10 tips they shared. You can check out the full feature on the medical duo in Physician Family.

1. Get clear about how much money you need to be happy. The couple cautions, “If you decide to work part-time, you won’t be able to afford the same material possessions as your [full-time] colleagues. You’ll have a smaller house, a less expensive car. … If these prospects trouble you, then it’s a no-brainer: Keep working full time. If, on the other hand, you’re willing to live on a budget, then working part time may be right for you. The good news is that physician salaries are high enough that you can work part time and still live comfortably.”

2. Know whether your professional motivation is personal satisfaction or prestige. The couple acknowledges that, “We both worked in academic medicine, where career success was defined in terms of being promoted to administrative positions such as committee chair, medical director, department chair, etc. Working part time probably helped us avoid promotions that would pivot us away from work that filled our lives with meaning and toward administrative work that gave us headaches.”

3. Figure out what role you want to play in the lives of your children. The Hollemans realized, “Time and again we found ourselves ‘outsourcing’ parenting responsibilities and asking, ‘Why bother to have children if we aren’t going to raise them?’ So, working less and parenting more felt right for us. We have friends who chose differently, delegating more parenting responsibilities to nannies and grandparents. And some of our friends have negotiated more flexible (full-time) work arrangements, allowing them to more easily juggle parenting and work.”

4. Seek advice from colleagues who value and practice work/life balance. The couple advises, “If work-life balance is the reason you’re thinking of working part time, find role models who practice good self-care and are engaged with their family, friends and community. If parenting is a primary concern, get advice from friends and colleagues who’ve raised their children well. Don’t limit yourself to the health professions; get a broad range of viewpoints and life experiences. … Today’s bosses and mentors are more likely to be part of a two-career couple, but that still doesn’t mean they slice the pie the way you do. Consider a variety of perspectives before making your decision.”

5. Be assertive, yet flexible with your employer. “When you propose to work part time, most bosses will say ‘no.’ So when you negotiate, you must be willing to walk away from your job. Sometimes that’s the only way to convince them to make an alternative work arrangement. Or come to them with a job offer from another organization. If neither of these tactics works, seek work elsewhere. You can bloom in someone else’s garden.”

For more tips on achieving work/life balance by going part-time, read the entire Physician Family article.