PHYSICIAN ROLE-CONFLICT AND RESULTING CAREER CHANGES - GENDER AND GENERATIONAL-DIFFERENCES

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate gender and generational differences both in the prevalence of role conflict and in resulting career changes among mar ried physicians with children. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. P ARTICIPANTS: We sent a survey to equal numbers of licensed male and fe male physicians (1,412 total) in a Southern California county; of the 964 delivered questionnaires, 656 (68%) were returned completed. Our s ample includes 415 currently married physicians with children, 64% mal e and 36% female. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The prevalence of per ceived role conflict, of career changes for marriage, and of career ch anges for children were evaluated. Types of career changes were also e valuated. More female than male physicians (87% vs 62%, p < .001) and more younger than older female physicians (93% vs 80%, p < .01) and ma le physicians (79% vs 54%, p < .001) experienced at least moderate lev els of role conflict. Younger female and male physicians did not diffe r in their rates of career change for marriage (57% vs 49%), but femal e physicians from both age cohorts were more likely than their male pe ers to have made career changes for their children (85% vs 35%, p < .0 01). Younger male physicians were twice as likely as their older peers to have made a career change for marriage (49% vs 28%, p < .001) or c hildren (51% vs 25%, p < .001). The most common type of career change made for marriage or children was a decrease in work hours. CONCLUSION S: Most physicians experience role conflict, and many adjust their car eers in response. Flexible career options may enable physicians to com bine professional and family roles more effectively.