Burnout in Women Physicians: Prevention, Treatment, and Management

by Cynthia M. Stonnington (Editor), Julia A Files (Editor)

Overview

This book is the first to dissect the factors contributing to burnout that impact women physicians and seeks to appropriately address these issues. The book begins by establishing the differences in epidemiology between female physicians and their male counterparts, including  rates of burnout, depression and suicide, chosen fields, caregiving responsibilities at home, career tradeoffs in dual physician marriages, patient satisfaction and outcomes, academic rank, leadership positions, salary, and turnover. The second part of the book explores the drivers of physician burnout that disproportionately affect women, each chapter beginning with a case vignette.  This section covers many issues that often go unrecognized including unconscious bias, sexual harassment, gender role conflicts, domestic responsibilities, depression, addiction, financial stress, and the impact related to reproductive health such as pregnancy and breastfeeding.  The book concludes by focusing on strategies to prevent and/or mitigate burnout among individual women physicians across the career lifespan.This section also includes recommendations to change the culture of medicine and the systems that contribute to burnout.

Burnout in Women Physicians is an excellent resource for physicians across all specialties who are concerned with physician wellness and burnout, including students, residents, fellows, and attending physicians.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030444594
Publisher:	Springer-Verlag New York, LLC
Publication date:	06/15/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Cynthia M. Stonnington

Mayo Clinic

Department of Psychiatry&Psychology

Scottsdale

Arizona

USA

Julia A Files

Mayo Clinic

Division of Women's Health Internal Med

Scottsdale

Arizona

USA

Table of Contents

Sex as a biological variable.- A Commentary on Gender and Nomenclature.-Editors’ Commentary: Future Directions and Opportunities for Further Research.-Sex, gender and medicine.-Patient satisfaction and outcomes.- Rates of burnout, depression, suicide, and substance use disorders.- Domestic Responsibilities and Female Physicians:  Examining the influence of domestic responsibilities and career advancement on burnout.- Gender stereotypes.-Sexual Harassment.-Work-life conflicts.-Isolation, lack of mentorship, sponsorship and role models.-Going It Alone: The Single, Unmarried, Unpartnered, Childless Woman Physician.-Navigating a Traditionally Male-Dominated Specialty as a Woman.-MIND THE GAP: CAREER AND FINANCIAL SUCCESS FOR WOMEN IN MEDICINE.-Depression, Suicide and Stigma.-Addictions.-Influence of hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy and the post-partum period on the career of the female physician.-Synthesizing Solutions Across the Lifespan:  Early Career Solutions.-Synthesizing Solutions Across the Lifespan .-LATE CAREER SOLUTIONSTRANSITIONAL ZONE: RETIRE OR RETREAD.-Changing the Culture and Managing Imposter Syndrome.-Changing the System

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Natalie S Rosen, MD (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)
Description: Using a multitude of contributions from women, this book covers the important topic of burnout among women physicians. It is organized into three main sections: gender-based epidemiological differences, drivers of physician burnout in women, and strategies and recommendations to prevent and mitigate burnout in this ever-growing group of physicians. Each section further dissects the subject by illustrating a unique woman's perspective and by citing peer-reviewed literature. Of note, the second section starts each chapter with an enticing case vignette.
Purpose: The purpose is to both dissect the many factors contributing to burnout in women physicians and to address means of mitigating burnout. As the number of women physicians continues to swell and the longstanding factors that precipitate burnout remain an ongoing presence, this book successfully presents a very pertinent topic in a unique manner. Through personalized stories, it relates to women physicians and is thus able to get its points across in an easy to read and emotionally connected manner. Through citations of peer-reviewed literature, it further supports its presentations.
Audience: The intended audience is "physicians across all specialties who are concerned with physician wellness and burnout." It strongly targets women physicians at the student, resident, and attending levels. The book meets the needs of its intended audience. The authors are credentialed healthcare professionals and cite peer-reviewed literature in each chapter.
Features: The book dives into the epidemiological basis of physician burnout, precipitating factors, and ways to mitigate this seemingly inevitable phenomenon. The chapter entitled "Sex, Gender, and Medicine" perhaps best illustrates the biological bases that skew a woman's proclivity towards burnout and how and why their male counterparts are spared. The writing is endearing yet academic. Each relatable paragraph is followed by a credible, well-cited study. The section that focuses on burnout factors is unique in that it has illustrative case vignettes for each chapter.
Assessment: This thought-provoking book dissects the many contributing factors that may precipitate burnout in women physicians and the ways in which many may combat this seemingly inevitable state. It is an excellent resource for women physicians at any stage in their careers. Suzanne Koven's Letter to a Young Female Physician: Notes from a Medical Life (W.W. Norton, 2021) speaks to this topic on an endearing personal level. However, this book uses not only relatable, sincere stories, it also cites academic literature to further a curious reader's knowledge.

Doody's Review Service