The stressful life of a physician begins long before they don a white coat. It goes back to undergrad (or perhaps earlier!). Pre-med students typically put far more pressure on themselves than the average college student. Future physicians are focused on getting good grades in order to get into med school, where the stress will continue to build. But the stress of med school is nothing compared to what follows – an intense internship and residency, possibly followed by a fellowship. But in the end it’s all worth it, because physicians enjoy one of the best jobs in America, right?

Despite above average compensation and high levels of prestige, an NORC study highlighted in the February 2009 Jackson & Coker Industry Report found that the level of career satisfaction among physicians doesn’t match up with their above average salaries and social status. [1] In fact, another report by the Physicians’ Foundation states that 78% of physicians either no longer find the practice of medicine rewarding or find it less rewarding than they did five years ago. A surprising 60% would not recommend medicine as a career path. [2]

Why so stressed?
An article in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that because physicians are often overachievers and perfectionists, their stress stems from the occasional failures that every physician eventually faces. [3] Add to that the increased demand by patients, battles with insurance companies, changing government legislation, malpractice concerns, and the burden of medical school debt – and it’s no wonder today’s physicians are experiencing stress levels unimaginable to most people.

How are They Coping?

Many physicians are giving up the stress of private practice in favor of salaried positions at hospitals. According to a recent article in the New York Times, an increasing number of physicians are attracted by the stable salaries and relatively regular hours of hospital jobs. To highlight this shift, the article cites statistics reporting that as recently as five years ago, more than two-thirds of medical practices were physician owned but today that number has fallen to below 50%. [4]

In other efforts to avoid stress, some physicians are turning to locum tenens work or abandoning medicine altogether. Of course, if you are not prepared to make a major change to reduce your professional stress, you may want to try some of these less drastic coping methods.

-Get a mentor – Find someone in your profession who will sympathize with your frustrations and help you navigate what lies ahead.

-Set boundaries – Achieving work-life balance is a challenge in any profession, but making time for both is essential for minimizing stress. Establish boundaries to distinguish between time for work and time for play. You need both to maintain a balanced and healthy outlook.

-Take your own advice – Make time to eat right and exercise. Not only will this ease your stress, but you will be practicing what you preach.

Physician jobs will never be stress free, but it is critical that physicians find effective ways to manage stress in order to maintain a balanced lifestyle and avoid career burnout. Happy, well-balanced physicians will find greater satisfaction in the practice of medicine and ultimately, offer their services longer and deliver a higher standard of care.

And that will benefit everybody.

1. J&C Research Associates. “Career Satisfaction Among Physicians,” Jackson & Coker Industry Report, Feb. 2009.

2. The Physicians’ Foundation, “The Physicians’ Perspective: Medical Practice in 2008,” October 2008.

3. Darves,Bonnie. “Physician Wellness,” NEJM CareerCenter, March 20, 2010.

4. Harris, Gardiner. “More Doctors Giving Up Private Practices,” New York Times, March 25, 2010.

Author Bio: Robyn Melhuish is the Communications Manager at Healthcare Job Boards. The HJB portfolio of premier job boards includes niche sites for physician jobs, therapist jobs, nursing jobs, medical sales jobs, and medical missions.

Category: Career
Keywords: physician jobs, physician careers