"Doctoring," a senior physician once commented during rounds, "brings out the mother in all of us."
At first the other doctors-in-training and I laughed at his remark. The comparison between our mothers and the highly trained professionals we wanted so much to be seemed humorous.
But our laughter quickly abated. We knew that there was indeed some similarity between the duties we had as doctors and the responsibilities our mothers bore. And, for at least a few of us on rounds that afternoon, it was not clear how we would or could manage both.
In this week's "Doctor and Patient" column, I write about balancing work and family responsibilities. Is it different for women who are doctors? And does each role affect the other? Please leave your thoughts on this topic either below or on Tara Parker-Pope's "Well" blog.
Comments