Contributions
Since 2023 I have had the opportunity to collaborate with Well Doc Alberta based on my research around mid-career physicians. To that end, I have become a Physician Collaborator with Well Doc Alberta; together we have developed the Transition in Practice (TIP) - Exploring Mid-Career Physician Experiences Workshop, which has been delivered to various physician groups. I have also presented at the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts (April 2024), on the topic of Exploring Career Opportunities with a view to supporting physicians at all levels, and together with Well Doc Alberta, we presented a summary of our TIP workshop model at the International Conference on Physician Health in Halifax, Nova Scotia (October 2024).
"Mid-Career Malaise", "Mid-Career Muddle", "Mid-Career Stall"
I was drawn to develop my skills around coaching mid-career physicians as the literature shows that while they typically constitute the largest and most productive segment of faculty, they have the lowest job satisfaction as well as lower satisfaction with their chosen specialty. Additionally, mid-career physicians have the lowest satisfaction in work-life balance. This is experienced across specialties and in both women and men.
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The definition of “mid-career” varies in the literature, covering multiple spans of years from career start or referencing timing of tenure. Research has underscored that mid-career can be a very difficult time for physicians, with dips in confidence and clarity. The term,“Mid-career Crisis Syndrome” is a common phenomenon across many career paths. This “syndrome” results in successful individuals feeling unsatisfied, stagnant or losing a sense of purpose; this can lead to a period of confusion and reassessment with the risk of experiencing a lack of career selfidentity and a sense of being stuck. The result is that mid-career faculty may feel exhausted, uninspired, isolated, or overwhelmed.
It is known that inadequately supported staff members have higher levels of burnout, reduced productivity, lower patient satisfaction, and poorer health outcomes. It has been noted that physician job dissatisfaction is the most powerful predictor of physician departures; mid-career physicians are more than twice as likely (even prior to the pandemic) as those in early and late career to plan to leave the practice of medicine for reasons other than retirement.
