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General Session

Education & Career Development

General Session 4

Professional Growth Isn't One-Way: Finding One’s Unique Path to a Meaningful and Enduring Career in C-L Psychiatry. Sponsored by ACLP's Mentorship Subcommittee

Thursday, November 7, 2024
4:40 PM – 5:55 PM EST
Location: Tuttle
Abstract: For many C-L psychiatrists, the path to mid-career seems clear as they focus on applying what they have learned during training to independently caring for patients and teaching trainees. During this career stage, they are often not questioning role, fit, or satisfaction. However, as they approach mid-career, factors such as work-life balance, increased workload and expectations, and monotony can contribute to a growing awareness that one’s career path is no longer as clearly marked, and meaning in one’s work is more difficult to find.

There is evidence that mid-career physicians are particularly prone to burnout because they work more hours, shoulder more administrative obligations, and take more call. Many additionally navigate growing personal responsibilities such as childcare and caring for aging parents. Mid-career physicians are also likely to leave medicine for reasons other than retirement. The risk of burnout is particularly acute for faculty who are underrepresented in medicine (URM), in part because of the minority tax they experience related to representing the perspectives of their ethnicity or race in efforts to address diversity, equity, and inclusion. Women faculty, who are more likely than men to be primary caregivers and face inequities in the workplace, are also more susceptible to burnout.

In this workshop, the speakers will discuss challenges and areas of opportunity in navigating mid-career issues as C-L psychiatrists, sharing their varied experiences and decision-making processes and illustrating multiple paths to personal and professional fulfillment. General strategies for mitigating mid-career dissatisfaction will be introduced, such as seeking mentorship and sponsorship, increasing self-advocacy, developing leadership skills, and maximizing overlap between current and ideal job. Dr. Gordon-Elliott will review the literature on mid-career burnout, provide perspectives on academia’s emphasis on climbing the ladder for professional advancement, and discuss opportunities for remaining connected with or returning to C-L academia after leaving a formal academic C-L position. Dr. Bronson will explore career advancement options within and outside of C-L psychiatry, describing his path from a division and fellowship director to a vice-chair position. Dr. Ernst will then provide insights into the impact of life circumstances on career decision-making and will discuss the leaky pipeline as it pertains to women in academia. Finally, Dr. Lee will talk about finding new opportunities for professional fulfillment while remaining in an institutional C-L role and also discuss URM considerations regarding burnout.

This session will present video interviews with C-L psychiatrists who have grappled with some of the issues described above and have pursued a variety of unexpected career paths. Breakout groups will allow attendees to reflect on what it means to be mid-career, practice strategies to mitigate mid-career disillusionment, and construct an action plan to increase fulfillment as they move forward in their professional development.

Learning Objectives:

  • To reflect and act on ways to achieve personal fulfillment and wholeness in one's career
  • To explain why those who are women and/or underrepresented in medicine are particularly prone to burnout and departure from academic medicine, thus impacting their perspectives as mid-career physicians
  • To employ skills to mentor mid-career C-L psychiatrists who are grappling with how to proceed in their careers