Woelk: A parent and a doctor [CMAJ

A parent and a doctor

CMAJ 2000;163(6):696 See: eLetters

See response from: B. Cujec, D. Johnson

The recent article by Bibiana Cujec and colleagues highlighted several important factors relating to lifestyle and general life satisfaction within medicine [Research].¹ The accompanying commentary also raised a number of important issues [Commentary].² I was disturbed, however, by the statement that "women sacrifice productivity to parenting (or vice versa)."² This suggests that parenting is a nonproductive activity.

It is true that for women the pursuit of any career is often filled with stress and guilt, and these feelings also occur when women choose to remain at home with their children. Statements suggesting that parenting work at home is nonproductive only serve to increase those feelings.

I was much more encouraged by the recent suggestion by Barbara Lent and colleagues that, in relation to parental leave, all employers "should be encouraged to facilitate the efforts of both women and men to balance work and family responsibilities" [Commentary].³

We should not be focusing on encouraging (and sometimes pushing) women to leave the home and go into the workplace. Instead, our challenge is to encourage both men and women to be all they can be and want to be. The aspirations of parents may include pursuing a career outside of the home, but we should also encourage men and women to share responsibilities for our children, who often don't see enough of us.

Cornelius Woelk
Family physician
Winkler, Man.

References

    1.    Cujec B, Oancia T, Bohm C, Johnson D. Career and parenting satisfaction among medical students, residents and physician teachers at a Canadian medical school. CMAJ 2000;162(5):637-40.

    2.    Phillips SP. Parenting, puppies and practice: juggling and gender in medicine [Commentary]. CMAJ 2000;162(5):663-4.

    3.    Lent B, Phillips SP, Richardson B, Stewart D, on behalf of the Gender Issues Committee of the Council of Ontario Faculties of Medicine. Promoting parental leave for female and male physicians [Commentary]. CMAJ 2000;162(11):1575-6.