Written by Shannon Markus
Spoon Feed
There were no significant differences in attrition rates by gender in this study on emergency medicine physician workforce retention.
Are we still living the dream?
This study explored gender disparities in emergency medicine (EM) workforce retention among 3,725 residency graduates. Women comprised 29% of the cohort, aligning with the national average of 28% of clinically active EM physicians. The overall attrition rate was 5.4% over 30 years, exceeding the expected 3%, with no significant gender differences. However, other studies cited in this article report younger women physicians leaving the workforce 12 years on average earlier than men, with 10% of these departing within five years of graduation. The study found no higher representation of women in academic EM roles, despite national data showing women make up 38% of the academic EM workforce compared to 28% overall. Possible contributors to attrition include discrimination, health challenges, parenthood, toxic work environments, unpredictable schedules, and licensing issues. Women were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with their attrition rate rising from 5.5% to 8.6% in 2020, potentially due to childcare considerations. The findings also highlight the recently recognized higher attrition among younger EM grads and emphasize the need to examine factors driving attrition across all genders and backgrounds, which is critical to sustaining a robust EM workforce to meet future healthcare needs.
How will this change my practice?
As of now, it doesn’t. I can’t see myself leaving the workforce anytime soon – I love what I do despite the unsavory aspects of our job. However, as someone invested in physician wellness within an academic EM setting, it prompts me to consider the reasons behind attrition, particularly among younger graduates and women. The article encourages reflection on workplace culture and the importance of fostering supportive environments. Recognizing gender-specific challenges informs efforts to mentor and retain colleagues, and advocating for institutional policies that promote work-life balance and equity could enhance job satisfaction for all.
Source
Where Are They Now? Attrition Rates of Emergency Medicine Residency Graduates by Gender. Ann Emerg Med. 2024 Nov 13:S0196-0644(24)01112-0. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2024.09.017. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39545879
