BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Within the field of pediatric hospital medicine, physicians can choose to work at community-based or university-based centers. The factors that motivate pediatric hospitalists to work specifically at community sites have not yet been fully explored. Our objective with this study was to elucidate the motivators for pediatric hospitalists to begin and continue work at community sites. METHODS: A qualitative study was performed via phone-based focus groups. Physicians were included if they were able to attend 1 of the offered group sessions and they self-identified as spending the majority of their time working as community-based pediatric hospitalists. Data were analyzed through a constant comparative analysis. RESULTS: Five themes emerged regarding factors that motivate pediatricians to begin and continue their careers as hospitalists in the community. The themes were (1) professional impact, (2) scope of practice, (3) personal and professional satisfaction, (4) community involvement, and (5) job availability.

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OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic offers a prime opportunity to examine the ability of community pediatric hospital medicine programs to respond to external stressors. This study aims to characterize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on compensation and furlough among community pediatric hospitalists, as well as self-reported sense of job security. METHODS: This study was part of a larger quantitative project investigating community pediatric hospitalists’ career motivators. The survey was drafted through an iterative process by the authors. It was disseminated via e-mail to a convenience sample of community pediatric hospitalists obtained through direct contact with community pediatric hospital medicine programs. Data were collected on changes in compensation and furlough because of COVID-19, as well as worry about job security measured as self-reported worry about one’s job being permanently terminated on a 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS: Data were collected from 31 hospitals across the United States with 126 completed surveys. Because of COVID-19, many community pediatric hospitalists experienced reduced base pay and benefits and a minority experienced furlough. Nearly two-thirds (64%) reported some worry about job security. Initial base pay reduction, working in suburban areas compared with rural areas, and affiliation with a university-based center or free-standing children’s hospital were significantly associated with greater worry about job security. CONCLUSIONS: The initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in changes in compensation and furlough for some community pediatric hospitalists and many expressed concerns about job security. Future studies should identify protective factors for community pediatric hospitalists’ job security.

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