Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Choosing family over medicine: Why I decided to leave clinical medicine

Kelli Randell, MD
Physician
November 19, 2019
7K Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

When my obstetrician told me I was not going back to my clinic that afternoon due to severe preeclampsia, I was so indoctrinated that my first thought was of the inconvenience to my patients who would need to be rescheduled. Only a few minutes later did it register that I would be giving birth sooner than I had anticipated, and my new life as “working mother” would begin.

I was due to transition out of the military six months after my daughter’s birth, so while I was learning about infant sleep and breastfeeding, the decision of my future career loomed in the future.  My husband took for granted that I would transition seamlessly into a civilian career, possibly working for a hospital or maybe even private practice. However, the experiences I had as a full-time physician with a newborn gave me pause.

My first punishment for daring to take maternity leave was handed out by my clinic manager. When I contacted her a month out from my return date regarding breaks for breast pumping, she was unsure if I was even allowed that time. As such, she had opened my schedule without them. I noticed I was on call more frequently that my colleagues (a similar issue while I was pregnant), and when I asked about it, I was told it was to make it fairer to the other providers.

“So, this is punishment for being on maternity leave then?”

“No! Think of it as other people were being punished for not having children,” she responded. I suppose I was just sitting around eating bonbons and sleeping in.

On top of that was the stress of finding childcare. My husband’s schedule was unpredictable and included long periods of absence. The wait-list for the base Child Development Center was over a year long, and my attempts at finding a suitable childcare facility for my three-month-old were challenging, not to mention incredibly expensive. Thankfully, I was able to have family fly in and take turns watching her until I left the military.

Despite having reliable childcare, I was increasingly anxious about leaving behind my three month old. She was barely out of the “fourth trimester.” While at work, I worried about her health if she was sick, or finding time to pump enough milk for her to eat. While I was ultimately given pumping breaks in my schedule, that time was occasionally lost when unexpected patient care issues arose. As the end of the day got nearer, I watched the clock, frustrated when a patient was late or taking longer than expected – that time meant less time to spend at home with my daughter.

The experiences I had following my return from maternity leave are no different for my civilian counterparts. According to a recent JAMA study, 18% of women respondents experienced discrimination, 35% had trouble finding child care, and 42% had inadequate time to breast pump. Anecdotally I had friends who transitioned to part-time work or even nonclinical, remote work due to the lack of balance. Based on my personal experiences, I ultimately decided I would not return to clinical medicine.

With many women leaving full-time clinical careers behind due to inadequate maternity leave policies and discrimination when they do take maternity leave, something has to change. The U.S. is the only industrialized country without an official maternity leave policy. FMLA only guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave, and that is with stipulations in place. I was lucky to get 12 paid weeks through the military. The WHO recommends at least 16 weeks. In places such as Canada, women can get up to 18 months.

It is disappointing that in today’s world, negative attitudes exist regarding a physician mother’s work ethic or need to “make up” for time lost while she was gone. This same mindset does not exist for a physician returning from a period of absence due to an illness, for example. Why should maternity leave, literally time spent helping a small human survive, be considered any differently?

Kelli Randell is an internal medicine physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

The problem with reducing physician salaries

November 18, 2019 Kevin 2
…
Next

A doctor's poem as an intensivist and obstetric anesthesiologist

November 19, 2019 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: OB/GYN, Practice Management

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The problem with reducing physician salaries
Next Post >
A doctor's poem as an intensivist and obstetric anesthesiologist

Related Posts

  • How social media can advance humanism in medicine

    Pooja Lakshmin, MD
  • Is medicine really a model family-friendly profession?

    Kristina Fiore
  • The excitement of clinical rotations: Not just learning medicine but doing medicine

    Orly Farber
  • Family medicine and the fight for the soul of health care

    Timothy Hoff, PhD
  • The difference between learning medicine and doing medicine

    Steven Zhang, MD
  • KevinMD at the Richmond Academy of Medicine

    Kevin Pho, MD

More in Physician

  • How my patients’ Zoom backgrounds made me a better doctor

    Joseph Barrera, MD
  • Understanding reproductive rights: complex considerations

    Anonymous
  • Challenging the diagnosis: dehydration or bias?

    Sydney Lou Bonnick, MD
  • Practicing medicine with conviction

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • The power of memory in shaping human identity

    Emily F. Peters and Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD
  • Physicians have no autonomy. Here’s how to change that.

    Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The erosion of patient care

      Laura de la Torre, MD | Physician
    • Challenging the diagnosis: dehydration or bias?

      Sydney Lou Bonnick, MD | Physician
    • COVID-19 unleashed an ongoing crisis of delirium in hospitals

      Christina Reppas-Rindlisbacher, MD, Nathan Stall, MD, and Paula Rochon, MD | Conditions
    • Air quality alert: Reducing our carbon footprint in health care

      Shreya Aggarwal, MD | Conditions
    • A teenager’s perspective: the pressing need for mental health days in schools

      Ruhi Saldanha | Conditions
    • Communication, power dynamics, and organizational culture in health care

      Beth Boynton, RN, MS, CP | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medical gaslighting: a growing challenge in today’s medical landscape

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • I want to be a doctor who can provide care for women: What states must I rule out for my medical education?

      Nandini Erodula | Education
    • Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • The erosion of patient care

      Laura de la Torre, MD | Physician
    • Reigniting after burnout: 3 physician stories

      Kim Downey, PT | Physician
    • Mourning the silent epidemic: the physician suicide crisis and suggestions for change

      Amna Shabbir, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Communication, power dynamics, and organizational culture in health care

      Beth Boynton, RN, MS, CP | Conditions
    • How my patients’ Zoom backgrounds made me a better doctor

      Joseph Barrera, MD | Physician
    • Understanding reproductive rights: complex considerations

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Innovations in surgical education [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Everyday dangers unknowingly impacting our health

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • A shop teacher’s daughter on transforming patient safety

      Barbara L. Olson, RN | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 2 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Woman Develops Chorioretinal Anastomosis at Site of Photocoagulation Scar
  • Pharmacists Improve Diabetes Control for Hispanic Patients
  • Clean Up the COVID Booster Mess by Returning to a Single-Payer System
  • Want to Improve the Patient Experience? Let's Start With Discharge Planning.
  • Hot Flashes: Precursor to Alzheimer's Disease?

Meeting Coverage

  • Hot Flashes: Precursor to Alzheimer's Disease?
  • SABR Offers New Hope for Older Patients With Inoperable Kidney Cancer
  • Menopausal Women With Obesity Endure Worse Symptoms, Less HT Relief
  • Study Pinpoints Growing Use of Cannabis to Manage Menopause Symptoms
  • Fezolinetant Benefits Women Not Suited for Hormone Therapy
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The erosion of patient care

      Laura de la Torre, MD | Physician
    • Challenging the diagnosis: dehydration or bias?

      Sydney Lou Bonnick, MD | Physician
    • COVID-19 unleashed an ongoing crisis of delirium in hospitals

      Christina Reppas-Rindlisbacher, MD, Nathan Stall, MD, and Paula Rochon, MD | Conditions
    • Air quality alert: Reducing our carbon footprint in health care

      Shreya Aggarwal, MD | Conditions
    • A teenager’s perspective: the pressing need for mental health days in schools

      Ruhi Saldanha | Conditions
    • Communication, power dynamics, and organizational culture in health care

      Beth Boynton, RN, MS, CP | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medical gaslighting: a growing challenge in today’s medical landscape

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • I want to be a doctor who can provide care for women: What states must I rule out for my medical education?

      Nandini Erodula | Education
    • Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • The erosion of patient care

      Laura de la Torre, MD | Physician
    • Reigniting after burnout: 3 physician stories

      Kim Downey, PT | Physician
    • Mourning the silent epidemic: the physician suicide crisis and suggestions for change

      Amna Shabbir, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Communication, power dynamics, and organizational culture in health care

      Beth Boynton, RN, MS, CP | Conditions
    • How my patients’ Zoom backgrounds made me a better doctor

      Joseph Barrera, MD | Physician
    • Understanding reproductive rights: complex considerations

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Innovations in surgical education [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Everyday dangers unknowingly impacting our health

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • A shop teacher’s daughter on transforming patient safety

      Barbara L. Olson, RN | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Choosing family over medicine: Why I decided to leave clinical medicine
2 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...