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The Article in Brief
Rural Women Family Physicians: Strategies for Successful Work-Life Balance
Julie Phillips , and colleagues
Background Women are an essential component of the rural physician workforce, yet female family physicians experience unique challenges in maintaining work-life balance while practicing in rural communities. Seeking to better understand the personal and professional strategies that enable women in rural family medicine to balance work and personal demands and achieve long-term career satisfaction, researchers interviewed 25 women family physicians practicing in rural communities in the United States
What This Study Found Supportive employers, relationships and patient approaches provide a foundation for successful careers. The participants describe the following strategies to achieve work-life balance: 1) reduced or flexible hours; 2) supportive relationships with spouses, partners, parents or other members of the community enabling them to be readily available to their patients; and 3) maintaining clear boundaries around their work lives, helping ensure adequate time for parenting, recreation and rest.
Implications
- Female physicians considering rural practice may be more satisfied and successful if they seek flexible employers and choose communities where support is available, or if they look for ways to build support networks as they are choosing practice settings. They may also benefit from developing strategies to negotiate boundaries with patients and developing skills to maintain their wellness.