Gender and Generational Influences on the Pediatric Workforce and Practice

In response to demographic and other trends that may affect the future of the field of pediatrics, the Federation of Pediatric Organizations formed 4 working groups to participate in a year’s worth of research and discussion preliminary to a Visioning Summit focusing on pediatric practice, research, and training over the next 2 decades. This article, prepared by members of the Gender and Generations Working Group, summarizes findings relevant to the 2 broad categories of demographic trends represented in the name of the group and explores the interface of these trends with advances in technology and social media and the impact this is likely to have on the field of pediatrics. Available data suggest that the trends in the proportions of men and women entering pediatrics are similar to those over the past few decades and that changes in the overall ratio of men and women will not substantially affect pediatric practice. However, although women may be as likely to succeed in academic medicine and research, fewer women than men enter research, thereby potentially decreasing the number of pediatric researchers as the proportion of women increases. Complex generational differences affect both the workforce and interactions in the workplace. Differences between the 4 generational groups comprising the pediatric workforce are likely to result in an evolution of the role of the pediatrician, particularly as it relates to aspects of work–life balance and the use of technology and social media.

[1]  S. Brotherton,et al.  Graduate medical education, 2011-2012. , 2012, JAMA.

[2]  J. Hall Trajectory of an academic career: the coming of age of academic pediatricians. , 2013, JAMA pediatrics.

[3]  Jung A Kim The Creative Destruction of Medicine: How the Digital Revolution Will Create Better Health Care , 2011 .

[4]  D. Goodman The Pediatrician Workforce: Current Status and Future Prospects , 2005, Pediatrics.

[5]  K. O'Connor,et al.  Response rates and response bias for 50 surveys of pediatricians. , 2005, Health services research.

[6]  Reshma Jagsi,et al.  The "gender gap" in authorship of academic medical literature--a 35-year perspective. , 2006, The New England journal of medicine.

[7]  M. Wasko,et al.  Understanding the Factors That Influence the Adoption and Meaningful Use of Social Media by Physicians to Share Medical Information , 2012, Journal of medical Internet research.

[8]  S. Brotherton,et al.  Graduate medical education, 2009-2010. , 2010, JAMA.

[9]  Thomas Pasko,et al.  Physician Characteristics and Distribution in the Us: 1999 , 1998 .

[10]  Albert A. Rizzo,et al.  Effectiveness of Virtual Reality for Pediatric Pain Distraction during IV Placement , 2006, Cyberpsychology Behav. Soc. Netw..

[11]  D. Mohr,et al.  Behavioral intervention technologies: evidence review and recommendations for future research in mental health. , 2013, General hospital psychiatry.

[12]  Gunther Eysenbach,et al.  Can Tweets Predict Citations? Metrics of Social Impact Based on Twitter and Correlation with Traditional Metrics of Scientific Impact , 2011, Journal of medical Internet research.

[13]  W. Cull,et al.  Pediatric residents' career intentions: data from the leading edge of the pediatrician workforce. , 2002, Pediatrics.

[14]  C. Benson,et al.  America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2001. , 2000 .

[15]  G. Freed,et al.  Recently Trained General Pediatricians: Perspectives on Residency Training and Scope of Practice , 2009, Pediatrics.

[16]  G. Freed,et al.  Pediatric Fellows: Perspectives on Training and Future Scope of Practice , 2009, Pediatrics.

[17]  S. Brotherton,et al.  Graduate medical education, 2005-2006. , 2006, JAMA.

[18]  S. Brotherton,et al.  Graduate medical education, 2007-2008. , 2008, JAMA.

[19]  S. Brotherton,et al.  Graduate medical education, 2008-2009. , 2009, JAMA.

[20]  Suvi Nenonen,et al.  Work environment preferences – does age make a difference? , 2012 .

[21]  H. Mulvey,et al.  Patterns of Work and Retirement Among Pediatricians Aged ≥50 Years , 2010, Pediatrics.

[22]  T. Sectish,et al.  A change in the pediatric leadership landscape. , 2011, The Journal of pediatrics.

[23]  M. Prensky Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1 , 2001 .

[24]  R. Sterling,et al.  The role and impact of gender and age on children's preferences for pediatricians. , 2004, Ambulatory pediatrics : the official journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association.

[25]  R. J. Repique Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants , 2013, Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

[26]  Claire Raines,et al.  Connecting Generations: The Sourcebook for a New Workplace , 2003 .

[27]  M. Watts Graduate medical education. , 1972, California medicine.

[28]  P. Rockey,et al.  US graduate medical education, 2004-2005: trends in primary care specialties. , 2005, JAMA.

[29]  Sam Bucolo,et al.  Multi-modal distraction: Using technology to combat pain in young children with burn injuries , 2010 .

[30]  Hong Jiang,et al.  Sex Differences in Application, Success, and Funding Rates for NIH Extramural Programs , 2011, Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

[31]  G. Freed,et al.  Recently Trained Pediatric Subspecialists: Perspectives on Training and Scope of Practice , 2009, Pediatrics.

[32]  J. Kvedar,et al.  Mobile Phone Technology for Children with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: A Parent Survey , 2009, Journal of diabetes science and technology.

[33]  Traci Kalar Motivation in a multigenerational radiologic science workplace. , 2008, Radiology management.

[34]  Judith A. Hall,et al.  Physician Gender Effects in Medical Communication , 2002 .

[35]  S. Hewlett,et al.  Off-ramps and on-ramps: keeping talented women on the road to success. , 2007, Harvard business review.

[36]  S. Brotherton,et al.  Graduate medical education, 2010-2011. , 2011, JAMA.

[37]  J. Hall The Challenge of Developing Career Pathways for Senior Academic Pediatricians , 2005, Pediatric Research.

[38]  D. Kaelber,et al.  Graduating med-peds residents' interest in part-time employment. , 2011, Academic pediatrics.

[39]  K. O'Connor,et al.  Part-time Work Among Pediatricians Expands , 2010, Pediatrics.

[40]  M. Felice Women in Pediatrics: Recommendations for the Future , 2007, Pediatrics.

[41]  C. Phibbs,et al.  Gender differences in physician-patient communication. Evidence from pediatric visits. , 1997, Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine.

[42]  P. Rockey,et al.  US graduate medical education, 2003-2004. , 2004, JAMA.

[43]  Judith A. Hall,et al.  Physician gender and patient-centered communication: a critical review of empirical research. , 2004, Annual review of public health.

[44]  M. Rich,et al.  Pediatricians Leading the Way: Integrating a Career and a Family/Personal Life Over the Life Cycle , 2006, Pediatrics.

[45]  B Price Kerfoot,et al.  An Online Spaced-Education Game for Global Continuing Medical Education: A Randomized Trial , 2012, Annals of surgery.

[46]  D. Woodwell,et al.  Physician adoption of electronic health record systems: United States, 2011. , 2012, NCHS data brief.

[47]  P. Rockey,et al.  US graduate medical education, 2002-2003. , 2001, JAMA.

[48]  G. Taffet,et al.  An Online Spaced-Education Game to Teach and Assess Medical Students: A Multi-Institutional Prospective Trial , 2012, Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

[49]  Yutaka Aoki,et al.  Physician gender effects in medical communication: a meta-analytic review. , 2002, JAMA.

[50]  S. Emans,et al.  Gender Differences in Research Grant Applications for Pediatric Residents , 2009, Pediatrics.

[51]  P. Gallagher,et al.  General vs subspecialty pediatrics: factors leading to residents' career decisions over a 12-year period. , 2005, Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine.

[52]  S. Brotherton,et al.  Graduate medical education, 2006-2007. , 2007, JAMA.

[53]  L. Olson,et al.  Many Pediatric Residents Seek and Obtain Part-time Positions , 2008, Pediatrics.

[54]  B. Pletcher,et al.  Pediatric Resident Debt and Career Intentions , 2013, Pediatrics.

[55]  G. Freed,et al.  General Pediatrics Resident Perspectives on Training Decisions and Career Choice , 2009, Pediatrics.

[56]  Reshma Jagsi,et al.  Sex Differences in Attainment of Independent Funding by Career Development Awardees , 2009, Annals of Internal Medicine.