Work-Life Balance and the Veterinarian

Jeleen Briscoe, VMD’02, DABVP (Avian)Professional Foundations 2012

USDA APHIS Animal Care Emergency ProgramsJohanna.Briscoe@aphis.usda.gov

Fact or Fiction?

Road

Map

for T

his E

veni

ng Veterinarians

Work Life Balance?

YOU

Strategy

Stress

YOU...Again

Fast Forward 20 Years

82%

Heath 2007

23%

Heath 2007

13%

Heath 2007

(50% get remarried)

Heath 2007

61%Heath 2007

67%37%

F u l l T i m e E m p l o y e e sHeath 2007

+ $30,000

Heath 2007

“In general my career has lived up to my expectations”

69%88%

Heath 2007

p<0.05

“My veterinary career causes me a significant amount of

stress”

54%Heath 2007

56%

“The future holds good prospects for veterinarians”

51%Heath 2007

65%

“If I had to do it over again, I would definitely

become a vet”

53%Heath 2007

52%

“It is hard for me to balance my personal life with my career”

Heath 2007

62%69%

67%

in practice

Burnout Scale

3+out of 7

LeAVING PRACTICEwork-family conflictsstress

Elkins 1992, Foster 2000

Dept Clin Studies--Phila

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Full Pro

fess

ors

Associ

ate

Profe

ssors

Assis

tant

Profe

ssors

Staff

Vets

Lecture

rs

Residents

Fellows

Inte

rns

Resea

rch

MaleFemale

Dept of Clin Studies--NBC

0

2

4

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FullProfessors

AssociateProfessors

AssistantProfessors

Staff Vets Lecturers Residents Fellows Interns

Male

Female

Acad

emic

Pipe

line

V2010 V2002

Work 60% 13%Family 7% 53%Animal 13% 0%OtheR 20% 33%

Mill

eNni

al Ge

nera

tion

Most educated in history

Highest unemployment in 40 years

50 million

4/10 Feel forced to take a job they’re unhappy with

47% changed life plans due to the economy

Work Life Balance

Work STRESS LEVEL JOB Security

Pressure to work LONG

HOURSresources to do job

personal health

GFK Custom Research North America 2011

summary: what do we know?20% quit veterinary medicine

Most are in a relationship

Men earn more

Men more likely to stay full time

Men > women: career choice lived up to dreams

Work IS important to you

you worry about work stress & work life balance

Road

Map

for T

his E

veni

ng Veterinarians

Work Life Balance?

YOU

Strategy

Stress

YOU...Again

vete

rina

rian

’s re

ality

the mythTwo separate lives

you control both

work life balance

“excellent work-life balance”

>9 hour work day

with job

Kelly 2011

Satisfaction

realsustainable

you control it

Satisfaction

desirable

Work Life Balance: mythical

Satisfaction: attainable

summary: what do we know?

Road

Map

for T

his E

veni

ng Veterinarians

Work Life Balance?

YOU

Strategy

Stress

YOU...Again

Love & Hate

trapped

1 year

Sa

ti

sf

ac

ti

on

Road

Map

for T

his E

veni

ng Veterinarians

Work Life Balance?

YOU

Strategy

Stress

YOU...Again

Be the best version of yourself

the S

trat

egic

life

enjoy coworkers

Feel respected

feel they’re making a contribution

feel challenges match abilities

Know WHY they go to work everyday

the S

trat

egic

e lif

e

organize the energy in your life

Assess what’s important

the S

trat

egic

life

the S

trat

egic

life

prioritize what’s important

the S

trat

egic

life

develop core habits around energy

the S

trat

egic

life

review

Resources• Elkins AD, Kearney M. Professional burnout among female veterinarians in

the US. JAVMA;200:604-608.

• Foster SW, McMurray JE, Linzer M, et al. Results of a gender-climate and work-environment survey at a midwestern academic health center. Acad med: JAAMC 2000;75:653-660.

• GFK Custom Research North America. A disengaged generation: young workers disengaged by pressures of work worldwide. PR Newswire 2011.

• Heath TJ. Longitudinal study of veterinary students and veterinarians: family and gender issues after 20 years. Aust Vet J 2007, 85(7): 290-295.

• Kelly M. Off Balance: getting beyond the work-life balance myth to personal and professional satisfaction. 2011: Hudson Street Press. Floydconsulting.com

Road

Map

for T

his E

veni

ng Veterinarians

Work Life Balance?

YOU

Strategy

Stress

YOU...Again

Myers Briggs

P E R C E I V ESenses Intuition

D e c i d elogic feeling

E I Personal Energy

S NInformation

FT DecisionsJ P Organization

Rock 2009

Roc

k 20

09

Roc

k 20

09

Status

Certainty

Autonomy

Relatedness

Fairness

AWAY Threat Response

TOWARD Reward Response

Rock 2009

summary: what do we know?

our personality types are where we work most comfortably

Approach people with the brain in mind

scarf model may help you from being derailed by the amygdala kick

Road

Map

for T

his E

veni

ng Veterinarians

Work Life Balance?

YOU

Strategy

Stress

YOU...Again

stress

fearanxietyTachycardia

BPRR

muscletension

Mind

heart

body

Time Out

breathe through the heart

Positive feeling

Take home points

being a veterinarian is a journey, not a destination

seek satisfaction, not work-life balance

living requires strategy and reflection

know yourself, respect others

breathe through your heart