Still Exhausted: The Role of Residual Caregiving Fatigue on Women in Medicine and Science Across the Pipeline

Abstract

Understanding the impact of caregiving responsibilities on women in medicine is crucial for ensuring a healthy and intact workforce, as caregiving responsibilities have the potential to affect the careers of women in health care along the entire pipeline, from students and trainees to physicians, physician-scientists, and biomedical researchers.

Challenges in Medicine, Magnified by the Pandemic: A Dual Battle for Female Physicians

“…On the home front, adequate, lack of reliable childcare remains a significant concern for women physicians, as demonstrated by our study and the work of Meese [11]. Many of the respondents described the tension created by trying to work while managing daycare and school closures throughout the pandemic.…”

“…However, the pandemic appears to have pushed these challenges to a critical point. Lack of worklife integration and the phenomenon of "double-duty caregiving," i.e., of being a primary caregiver both at home and at work, has led to burnout [11]. During the pandemic, nearly 25% of female physicians were the primary caregivers and household managers compared to male physicians.…”

“…School and daycare closures, as well as disruptions in childcare due to exposure to or infection with COVID-19, led to gaps in reliable, consistent childcare; simultaneously, physicians were required to work longer hours during each subsequent wave of infection [10]. In one study of 6,466 healthcare workers, 23% of female healthcare workers reported exhaustion due to caregiving responsibilities, both at home and at work [11]. In addition, female physicians with children were more likely to report burnout [12].…”

Improving Well-being Among Women in Neonatology

“…Additionally, productivity benchmarks are over two-fold higher for neonatologists than for other pediatric critical care subspecialties, and this increased workload contributes to decreased time per patient and reduced job satisfaction 13,14 . Among pediatricians, burnout rates are reported to be as high as 55% for women, and are potentially in uenced by continued disparities in pay, limited opportunities for professional development and leadership, and increased caregiving roles [15][16][17][18][19] .…”

System-Wide Change Is Essential to Value the Contributions of Women in Medicine and Science

“…Many of these challenges contribute to fueling the burnout epidemic we continue to face within our systems. Addressing burnout in a holistic manner, focusing on prevention by providing resources for coaching, mentorship, or work-life concierge services and by reviewing vacation and family leave and modifying to align with the modern workforce, would go a long way in improving retention of women in the health care workforce [ 19 , 20 ].…”