Pediatricians’ Career Satisfaction and Wellbeing by Sex Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare pediatrician career satisfaction and wellbeing by sex during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic with prepandemic years using longitudinal survey data. METHODS: Data from a cohort study, the American Academy of Pediatrics Pediatrician Life and Career Experience Study, were used to examine career satisfaction and wellbeing from 2012 to 2021 among 2002–2004 and 2009–2011 residency graduates (n = 1760). Mixed effects logistic regression, including key pediatrician characteristics, examined career satisfaction and wellbeing measures for sex (female vs male), pandemic year (2012–2019 vs 2020–2021), and their interaction effect. Adjusted predicted percentage values (PVs) were determined. RESULTS: In total, 73.4% of participants identified as female. Adjusting for key pediatrician characteristics, differences were found by sex for satisfaction and 4 of 5 wellbeing measures, by pandemic year for 2 wellbeing measures, and the interaction of sex and pandemic year for 3 wellbeing measures. Female pediatricians reported higher levels of anxiety, sadness, and work stress, with greater differences during the pandemic. For example, female pediatricians (PV = 22.6, confidence interval [CI] = 21.0–24.3) were more likely than male pediatricians (PV = 14.2, CI = 12.0–16.4) to report anxiety during pre-pandemic years, and the difference between female pediatricians (PV = 29.3, CI = 26.7–32.0) and male pediatricians (PV = 12.4, CI = 9.3–15.5) increased during pandemic years (sex by pandemic year interaction, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with male pediatricians, female pediatricians reported worse anxiety, sadness, and stress at work, and the differences were more pronounced during the pandemic.