Are you determined to avoid burnout in your medical career?
Put it in writing.
Too many doctors assume that endless hours and unexpected responsibilities are just part of the job — especially early in their careers. But with unprecedented levels of burnout driving up the demand for doctors, you may be in a unique position to negotiate for a better Return on Life inside and outside of the office.
Before you sign on the dotted line, consider adding some of these lifestyle provisions into your next contract.
1. Job specifics.
The more details in your contract about your specific job responsibilities, the better. It’s especially important to establish clarity on tasks that may seem optional but could feel required, such as:
– Serving on hospital committees.
– Attending meetings outside of your department.
– Supervising or training other doctors.
– Contributing to studies and trials.
– Performing administrative tasks.
– Participating in fundraising and marketing initiatives.
A good doctor and team player will likely pitch in where and when they can for the good of their colleagues and patients. But if too many activities outside the scope of your contract end up on your to-do list, you need to feel secure saying no or asking for additional compensation the next time you’re at the negotiating table.
2. Limited non-compete clauses.
While it’s understandable that employers want to protect themselves in such a competitive job market, non-compete clauses and geography restrictions can seriously hamper a doctor’s opportunities for career advancement and mobility. If your dream job opens up one town over, or if a particular hospital or office turns out to be a bad fit, you’ll want to have the ability to make the move that’s best for you, on your terms and timeline.
You could be able to negotiate for a smaller radius in your non-compete cause or for a shorter duration. You should also talk to your attorney about your state’s non-compete laws for medical professionals.
3. Allowances for outside employment, sabbaticals, and volunteer time.
Moonlighting as a consultant, researcher, teacher, or telemedicine practitioner can add some flexibility to your work schedule and provide extra padding to your nest egg. But some employers will impose restrictions on outside work to prevent conflicts of interest and to keep doctors focused on the main practice. Even if you don’t currently plan on working side gigs, you might want to establish parameters that will allow you to do so if an interesting opportunity presents itself.
Likewise, even if you aren’t currently volunteering or planning a sabbatical, you might want these benefits in the future as a way to battle burnout or give back. You can’t take a vacation every week, but you could take a weekly slot at a free clinic or teaching hospital to remind yourself why you wanted to practice medicine in the first place.
4. Paid time off, weekends, and holidays.
In other careers, vacation time is often the headline item when it comes to work-life balance benefits. But doctors are a special case because of on-call hours, emergency situations, and weekend and holiday hours.
Negotiating for a set-in-stone schedule is probably unrealistic. But you can try to balance out unpredictability and high stress by asking for more flexibility during regular office hours or limits to how many patients you’ll schedule in a given week. You might also establish monthly or quarterly thresholds for how many hours you’re working, above which you’ll earn extended time off.
How are you feeling about your medical career? Are you happy where you’re working? Is burnout getting the better of you? Are you contemplating a change?
Make an appointment to visit our offices and work through our interactive Life-Centered Planning tools. You might gain a new perspective on your work and life that will help you invest more of your resources in what truly matters the most.
