Spring is in the air, even here in Chicago where I live. When spring rolls around, I always feel a sense of renewal and rebirth. This is the perfect time to reevaluate where we are and what we, as women doctors, need now to succeed and thrive. I believe it comes down to just three words: Relax, Grow and Connect.
1. Relax
First of all, it’s important we take time to relax and do some self-care. We’ve gone through two of the craziest years of our lives because of the pandemic, and we truly need a break. Many of us have been working harder than ever before: more hours and more shifts with fewer staff members to help. We’ve also been concerned about our own personal safety, and have been having difficult conversations with patients who are anti-vax.
We’ve had a lot of things shift at home with our families – job changes, working and schooling from home, lack of childcare at times. We haven’t been going on many vacations or going out to have fun.
Many of us feel burnt out professionally. If that is you, know that you are not alone. In a 2022 Medscape report, 56% of women doctors stated they have burnout. That’s more than half of us.
Burnout is an epidemic within medicine, and it’s been worsened by the pandemic. We absolutely need to take a break. We need to take some time to relax and recharge our batteries.
2. Grow
To succeed and thrive, we need to take time to grow and update our skills. We need tools and support to combat burnout, and skills to learn how to enjoy the careers we worked hard to achieve. We need leadership development training. We need mentors.
Women make up 36% of practicing doctors in the country, but only 15% of women doctors are department chairs. Among women doctors who are also mothers, 78% felt gender discrimination. Moreover, a significant gender pay gap still exists in medicine where women doctors earn up to 33% less than their male counterparts.
Sister docs, it’s time we uplevel our skills because this is our century. One of my leadership mentors speaks about how the 21st century is the Century of Women. Women control $20 trillion of global spending power, $13 trillion of annual earnings, and control 60% of personal wealth. Women in the labor force are rising, while the employment rate of men is decreasing. 40% of married women out-earn their husbands, and 20% of families have stay-at-home dads.
My mentor states the marketplace and the workplace must play to the strengths of women. This means this is our time to shine ladies!! That’s right. But to do so we may need to grow our skills. We need to uplevel our leadership skills, our emotional intelligence, and our confidence to go and ask for what we want. Consider which skills are needed to be able to develop into the leadership position we are capable of taking.
3. Connect
Lastly, to succeed and thrive, we women doctors need to connect. We must end the isolation that leaves us feeling powerless and alone, a solitary woman in a male-dominated field of medicine.
As JFK said, “A rising tide lifts all the boats,” so coming together we are stronger and we can lift one another up. We also need mentors, sponsors and coaches to help us open doors and shatter glass ceilings, along with our own limiting beliefs. We need to network and help one another rise up.
We created Women in White Coats because we realize the OLD BOYS CLUB of medicine is alive and well. We also needed to create a SISTERHOOD within medicine where women doctors are uplifting, supporting, and empowering one another. This is exactly what we aim to do at Women in White Coats through our courses, coaching, and conferences.
So if you are ready to succeed and thrive, implement these three steps of Relaxing, Growing, and Connecting. We also would LOVE to have you come to our Women in White Coats CME Conference and Wellness Retreat, because this is exactly what we are going to do.
It’s a 3-day event, from April 21-23 where we will first of all just relax and unwind at a beautiful Ballantyne Hotel in Charlotte, NC. We will have yoga, meditation, delicious meals, and time to go to the spa. You’ll also have a chance to get out of your typical routine. Sometimes if we have a change of scenery we immediately feel better.
Grow by Listening to Topics That are Relevant to Women Doctors
Here is a list of the seminars we’re teaching at our CME Conference and Wellness Retreat. Come and check them all out!
- The State of Women in Healthcare
- Narrative Healing
- The Power of Positivity
- Finding Joy and Meaning in Work
- Zen in Time
- Sleep and Proper Breathing for Peak Performance
- Wearables: Your Secret Weapon to Unlocking Wellness
- Overcoming Gender Pay Inequity
- Burning Bright instead of Burning Out Workshops
- Women in White Coats Heroes Panel
Connect and Celebrate with Like-Minded Women Doctors
Come connect and celebrate with fellow women doctors at the Book Launch for “The Chronicles of Women in White Coats 4,” and the Women in White Coats Heroes Ceremony.
Sister Doc, we want to see you there. Go to womeninwhitecoats.com/wellnessretreat for all the details and to reserve your spot. This is going to be an intimate event so the numbers are limited.
To Relaxing, Growing, and Connecting together!
Archana Shrestha, MD is a physician, life coach, speaker and entrepreneur in Chicago. She is the Cofounder and Chief Wellness Officer at Women in White Coats and co-author of “The Chronicles of Women in White Coats” book series. Learn more about her by going to MightyMomMD.com. She can be followed on Instagram @MightyMomMD
RELAX, GROW and CONNECT at our annual Women in White Coats CME Conference and Wellness Retreat this April 21-23, 2022 at the gorgeous Ballantyne Luxury Hotel in Charlotte, NC. Prepare to be uplifted at what will be THE CME EVENT of the YEAR for WOMEN DOCTORS. For more information, click here.
If you are ready to say goodbye to burnout and welcome confidence and balance into your life, join our free training where we cover 3 steps to help you kick overwhelm and exhaustion to the curb and live that confident and balanced life you deserve. Click here to enroll in our free training.
Want to Burn Bright instead of Burn Out with our Physician Wellness and Empowerment Program? Join the waitlist now for an exclusive offer just for people on the list.
I hope you have a huge turnout for your event. I am now a retired physician. During the course of my career I experienced sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and gender pay gap. It amazing how creative my male counterparts could be in diverting work my way and money their way. I know what it is like to be physically and emotionally exhausted and severely burned out. I also felt isolated. Although their were some other female physicians around me, none of them were in positions of influence. They were all experiencing the same things as I and none of us had the time or energy or social/professional structures in place to adequately support each other. I encourage all “women in white coats” to attend this conference to recharge, connect, and help make medicine a profession where all women can thrive.
Thank you! And thank you for faithfully serving patients throughout your career, and your support of our mission to uphold women doctors.
Hi. Thank you for this. But not helpful. I am 64, an internist practicing EM and urgent care for many years. I was fired 2/05/22 when Covid level ( thankfully)dropped I now have no income after working over 36 years.
I am single, no other income and using savings to pay mortgage. I am applying for other positions. After almost 3 months, nothing. Weird. Given doc shortage. I think it’s my age.
Hi Dr. Teeple. Thanks for your comment. We are sorry to hear that it’s been a struggle to land a new position. We would love to help in any way we can. We offer free 30 minute clarity calls and we’d love to have you sign up for one. Maybe together we can create a plan of action. Here is the link to book the free call.
Can’t go to this retreat but would be interested in future ones.
We’d love to have you! Do you want us to add you to our email list so you will be notified of our upcoming events?
Looks very interesting
I also can’t make this year’s retreat but would be interested in future events. Please add me to email list, I’m a Hospitalist and involved in Medical Informatics.
We’ve added you to our list!
I Disagree wholeheartedly with the assumptions and recommendations here. This type of mentality is the very reason women can be viewed less capable in our profession. If a woman wants to work less, spend more time at home and FOREGO the department chair ladder climb that is of course her decision and hers alone! The assumption that all women need to further pursue “leadership” positions in lieu of time AWAY from work (perhaps with spouses and/or family?) minimizes the very unique fabric that weaves together our common thread as women. Many excellent providers are successfully pursuing our profession while also keeping intact our time at home and upholding our very IMPORTANT peronal value as mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, spouses and friends to those surrounding us OUTSIDE of work.
Thanks for sharing your feelings. We truly believe how each women chooses to Relax, Grow, and Connect is dependent on their own personal goals. And you are right! We can successfully manage all that we have on our plates without having to pursue more leadership positions. We have a recent podcast episode where Dr. Sarah Rosanel talks about this very topic! We’d love to have you take a listen and let us know what you think.