By far the top concern of female physicians was work-life balance, with 64% ranking this their top concern. No commenters defined precisely what this means to them, but perhaps we can surmise that women doctors often feel the need to prioritize work over family life, leading to feelings of stress. Other surveys over the years have shown that female physicians are more likely to experience feelings of burnout related to work-home conflict than are their male counterparts.

Female physicians under age 45 cited combining parenthood with work as a top concern. The survey did not include a similar question related to older adult/parental caregiving, but one commenter pointed this out as a concern for women doctors over age 45. Of the physicians surveyed, 92% said they “sometimes” or “always” felt “conflicted as a parent” because of work obligations. One respondent pointed out that American society views women as the primary “caretakers,” and this may explain why female physicians can feel conflicted over having to choose work over family caregiving.

As one survey respondent pointed out, “Medicine can be a demanding profession.” Indeed, 94% percent of female physicians surveyed said they had compromised in their personal lives to accommodate their professional work. Women doctors seem to be sensitive to the knowledge that their professional choices can disrupt their spouse’s and children’s lives, and they may feel inclined to avoid doing that. The word “flexible” arose in several respondents’ comments when explaining why they chose a specialty that gave them more set working hours than other, more “procedure-oriented” specialties. Flexible working hours may mean fewer personal tradeoffs.

In general, the medical profession appears to demand that female physicians not devote time to recovery and bonding after childbirth; other surveys over the years have found that physician mothers faced discrimination and “punishment” (such as being assigned to take increased call) after taking a full maternity leave. Medscape survey respondents said they felt stigmatized by colleagues not only for taking maternity leave but also for working fewer or more flexible hours to accommodate family responsibilities. Promotions and salary also may suffer for female physicians who take time off after childbirth.

Nearly 60% of respondents said they felt compelled to “modify their personality” at work in order to be taken seriously. One respondent said she felt she had to project an aura of sweetness and passivity to avoid being labeled as “too aggressive.” Other women physicians cited an undercurrent of gender discrimination that may cause female doctors to modify their personalities; one respondent noted how her male physician colleagues were called “doctor,” while she was addressed by her first name. In general, women doctors seem to want to be accorded professional respect without changing who they are.

According to the survey, only about 25% of healthcare organizations offer physicians any sort of professional development courses or mentorships that would help doctors progress into management roles. This may hinder female physicians in ascending the professional ladder. As one respondent pointed out, this lack of training for management roles can lead to physician burnout and organizational mismanagement. Women doctors seem to welcome more support from their organizations in learning how to lead so they can perform well as managers.