Increased Mental Workload for Academic Women Physicians Since the Pandemic Era
SAEM PULSE | MAY-JUNE 2022
By Erin L. Simon, DO; Ashley I. Heaney, MD; Rebecca A. Merrill, MD; and Sarah Greenberger, MD, on behalf of the SAEM Education Committee
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We are all anxiously awaiting the day when the COVID-19 pandemic is a distant memory and life seems more “normal.” There have been many changes that have occurred during the past two years because of COVID-19. Some changes have simplified our lives, and some have complicated them. Many of us have noticed an increased mental workload despite the many virtual options we have been given for activities, tasks, and meetings that were previously conducted in person. As we evolve to our new “normal,” we are evaluating the efficiency of how things were done pre-pandemic versus how they are done now. Academic
women physician activities may include working clinical shifts, administrative emails and paperwork, faculty and department meetings, preparation for clinical teaching and resident didactics, hospital committees, office hours, national committee responsibilities, and scholarly activity, to name a few. Personal activities may include parenting, time with family, spiritual wellness, and personal wellness such as exercise and hobbies. As we transition back and forth between virtual and in person duties, are the changes we have seen over the past two years lightening our load or increasing it? Virtual events eliminate
travel expenses and commute times and allow for breaks to do other tasks at home such as laundry, cooking, and childcare. Some of the lines between work-life balance blurred, with no clear “time off.” When our boundaries become blurred between work life and home life, we may not be devoting our full attention to either task. Many women find it challenging to take on administrative duties while at home, especially when young children are in the picture. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this by disrupting normal school routines and childcare support. There is an innate desire for children to want to be near their parents when
