Maintaining work-life balance is biggest issue for female physicians

Work-life balance continues to be the biggest obstacle female physicians face, according to a new Medscape survey. More than 3,000 female doctors in the U.S. were asked about professional challenges, and 64% cited work-life balance, followed by 43% who reported compensation. An overwhelming majority said they had made tradeoffs in their personal lives for the sake of work. Those aged 45 years or older were more likely to cite gender equity and age discrimination as concerns in the workplace, while younger physicians were much more likely to express concerns about sexual harassment and combining work and parenthood. And although more than a third said they were aiming for a promotion, half of those surveyed reported they were not currently in a leadership or supervisory role.