65 per cent doctor-moms struggle to balance personal, professional lives: Study

An average of 63 per cent of the doctors work eight to 12 hours daily, impacting their ability to achieve satisfactory work-life harmony and time for self-care.

Sixty-five per cent of 500 doctor-mothers surveyed in key metropolitan and Tier-2 cities experience burnout while striving to balance their personal and professional lives, a new study has found. The study, conducted by Gurugram-based Pristyn Care and Lybrate Data, said 41 per cent of the doctor-moms have experienced workplace discrimination for "being a doctor and a mother".

Sixty-five per cent of 500 doctor-mothers surveyed in key metropolitan and Tier-2 cities experience burnout. (Unsplash)

The study was conducted in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kanpur, Chandigarh, Patna, Kochi and Vijayawada.

An average of 63 per cent of the doctors work eight to 12 hours daily, impacting their ability to achieve satisfactory work-life harmony. Over 50 per cent of these professionals struggle to find time for self-care, it said.

To address these issues, 61 per cent of the respondents prefer flexible work hours while around 20 per cent emphasise the importance of mental health support.

Dr Garima Sawhney, co-founder and gynaecologist at Pristyn Care, said, "The study aims to understand how doctor-moms navigate their personal and professional lives. We considered their work hours, preferences for scheduling, self-care practices and perspectives on HR policies.

"An overwhelming 80 per cent of the participants say workplaces should provide targeted support and resources specifically tailored for doctor-moms."

With the COVID-19 pandemic amplifying the challenges faced by healthcare practitioners, family support has emerged as a vital pillar in the careers of successful doctors, the study said.