Te-Ping Chen, Wall Street Journal, 11/3/24: Young Doctors Want Work-Life Balance. Older Doctors Say That’s Not the Job. (Behind Paywall)

An excerpt:

For decades, …doctors accepted long hours and punishing schedules, believing it was their duty to sacrifice in the name of patient care. They did it knowing their colleagues prided themselves on doing the same. A newer generation of physicians is questioning that culture…

Nearly half of doctors report feeling some burnout, according to the American Medical Association. Work-life balance and predictable hours shouldn’t be at odds with being an M.D., say doctors who are pushing against what they view as outdated expectations of overwork…

Changes in healthcare mean a growing number of physicians now work as employees at health systems and hospitals, rather than in private practice. Electronic paperwork and other bureaucratic demands add to the stress and make the profession feel less satisfying, they say. More physicians are pursuing temporary work…

Physicians work an average of 59 hours a week, according to the American Medical Association, and while the profession is well-compensated—the average physician makes $350,000, a recent National Bureau of Economic Research analysis found—it comes with high pressure and emotional strain…

More young doctors are choosing to join healthcare systems or hospitals—or larger physician groups. Among physicians under age 45, only 32% own practices, down from 44% in 2012. By comparison, 51% of those ages 45 to 55 are owners…

“Now, everything’s changed. Doctors are like any other employee, and that’s how the new generation is behaving.” They also spend far more time doing administrative tasks. One 2022 study found residents spent just 13% of their time in patient rooms, a factor many correlate with burnout.

My take: Over the past few years, I have heard many physicians bemoan the change in work ethic among younger physicians. In response, many younger physicians would be justified in saying “OK Boomer.”

Medicine has changed a lot and it’s not surprising that young physicians’ attitudes have changed. Health care is increasingly more business-oriented and less personal. Private equity, insurance companies, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies are each trying to monopolize/consolidate. At their whim, small practices and independent pharmacies can quickly be crushed. There is increased demand for documentation/audits, increased requirements for authorization for needed care, increased educational costs, and social media misinformation. None of these trends prioritize patient care.

While some older physicians are worried about work ethic, many are glad that they are not starting their medical career/calling in this environment.

Related blog posts:

• Is Medicine a “Calling?”
• ‘Physicians Are Not the Victims’ (Plus One)
• Why Physician Burnout Is Happening & How to Fix It
• Do Health Care Workers Need Peace Agreements?
• Off-Duty Doctors and Family Obligations
• Personal Look at 20 Years of Doctoring (Part 2)
• Personal Look at 20 Years of Doctoring (Part 1)