E. Kim1,2, B. Sinco1,2, E. Frank4, J. Zhao4, A. Bohnert3, S. Sen3, T. Hughes1,2 1University Of Michigan, Department Of Surgery, Ann Arbor, MI, USA 2Center for Healthcare Outcome and Policy, Ann Arbor, MI, USA 3University Of Michigan, Department Of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, MI, USA 4Michigan Neuroscience Institute, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Introduction: The simultaneous engagement in both work and non-work domains often results in spillover, where demands, emotions, or behaviors from one domain influence the other. Work-family conflict (WFC) occurs when job demands interfere with family life, while family-work conflict (FWC) describes how non-work demands affect job performance. Prior research indicates that these conflicts—shaped by factors such as gender, number of children, and specialty—are pivotal in influencing the early career trajectories of physicians. This study examines the ongoing impact of gender, time, and family considerations on the WFC and FWC experienced by physicians.
Methods: Physicians enrolled in the Intern Health Study from 2015 to 2022 were surveyed annually through 2022 regarding their year of training, demographic information, specialty, family considerations, WFC, and FWC. WFC and FWC data were analyzed using longitudinal mixed models to examine associations between the work vs non-work tension experienced by surgeons and non-surgeon physicians and its impact on their professional trajectories.
Results: A total of 709 physicians, 205 surgeons and 502 non-surgeon physicians, were included in the study. The analysis revealed that WFC was, on average, 1.2 higher (95% CI: 0.4, 2.0) for physicians with children and increased by 0.1 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.2) per additional year of training. Gender differences were not statistically significant. Among surgeons, having children was the only significant predictor of increased WFC, with a mean rise of 2.0 (95% CI: 0.3, 3.7). For non-surgeon physicians, having one or more children was associated with an average WFC increase of 1.0 (95% CI: 0.03, 1.9), and each additional year out of training corresponded to an annual WFC increase of 0.2 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.3). The most significant predictor of higher FWC across all groups was having children, with an overall odds ratio (OR) of 3.8 (95% CI: 3.1, 4.6); OR 1.9 (95% CI: 0.3, 3.5) for surgeons; and OR 4.2 (95% CI: 3.4, 5.0) for non-surgeon physicians. Female and male surgeons saw a decrease in FWC over 10 years, by 0.8 and 0.7, respectively, whereas female non-surgeon physicians saw an increase of 0.7.
Conclusion: This study describes the interplay between gender, specialty, and parental status on work-life strain, with results that having children has more impact than does gender or year of training. Exploring this relationship further while considering children’s ages, number of children, and partner’s employment status could help contextualize the findings. Developing supportive mechanisms and programs for reducing tension between work and family may improve workforce retention, burnout and work and family satisfaction.