That's it! I'm ready to quit work!

chihuahua26 · October 2008

I have been struggling with this decision since my maternity leave ended. I just do not enjoy my job anymore. As many of you know, I'm a pediatrician. But my job is a little different in that I work at a medical school so I help train medical students and pediatric residents. Therefore, my job doesn't just include seeing patients...it also means lots of meetings, lectures, projects, etc.

I came into work today to find 2 new projects that need to be done by the end of the day. Ughhh!! DH wants me to quit and I'm pretty sure that we could do it financially without much problem. But do I throw away all of that training and quit? Of course I would probably go back to work in a few years, but I sort of feel like a slacker.

Maybe I'm hormonal and finally going to get my period. I don't know, but I feel like I could cry at the drop of a hat. Thanks for listening!

NicknSteph · October 2008

What about finding a part-time job in a family practice clinic vs. a teaching hospital? That way you can work to stay current but not have the stress of meeting, lectures, ect.

Toosdai · October 2008

Life is too damn short to be miserable - regardless of the training/education/cost/salary. I would either quit or find a new situation where I would enjoy my job again.

GL!

momofolivia · October 2008

Is this really the time to think about quitting? Are you sure your DH is secure in his position? THe economy just keeps getting worse and worse...I'd be afraid of something happening. I agree with pp - maybe try to find something in your field that meets your needs better.

CD+AL · October 2008

I hear ya. I've finally decided to quit and SAH, which was tough b/c I have a M.S. and taking time away from my field is career suicide. It just isn't worth it to me any more, so I'm done. My supervisor knows, but I'm waiting until closer to the 1st of the year to tell anyone else or officially give notice. I want to make it to Jan b/c our new health insurance w/DH's new job is a high deductible plan with an employer paid HSA, and it doesn't make any sense to start all of that this late in the year with no $ in the HSA yet. That and our house needs to sell.

chihuahua26 · October 2008

momofolivia:
Is this really the time to think about quitting? Are you sure your DH is secure in his position? THe economy just keeps getting worse and worse...I'd be afraid of something happening. I agree with pp - maybe try to find something in your field that meets your needs better.

DH is a pulmonologist/critical care physician so people are always going to be dying even if the economy is bad. He's actually just received a bonus from his partners because of how hard he works. So, no I doubt anything is going to happen to his job. As for my job, it's nice in some aspects because I don't have to do any inpatient stuff, just outpatient. Other jobs would require both. I think I'm just burned out.

mrsashby · October 2008

Have you thought about just switching jobs? I don't know about pediatrics-I know that you can find part-time in my husband's speciality (radiology). I guess you would probably still have to take call though. That's probably one thing you don't have to do in your current job.

schnappycat · October 2008

Ooh, that's a tough one given your years of training (My DH is also a doc, so I know how long it is). But I agree with pp that perhaps you could look into part-time in a clinic seeing patients? Maybe you'd enjoy getting back to the "core" of your training a bit more and still feel you are making use of your degree(s). My DH is technically in academia, but also is a part-time clinician and loves the combination of the project-based work/writing/speaking and the patient interaction. I know he'd go nuts with just the project portion of his job. So maybe you can just shift your focus to a part of your field you'd enjoy more. Or maybe even volunteering your services somehow.?

schnappycat · October 2008

Heh, chihuahua. My DH is also a pulmonologist!

Oops, I guess I could have edited my last post. ?

ckolak:-) · October 2008

I totally hear you- if we could do it financially, I would absolutely quit. Have you thought about volunteering at a free clinic or something 1 day a week, just to keep using your skills? Or maybe see if you could get a job through WebMD or something, where you could work from home and keep using all your training. I don't have a doctoral degree, but I do have a MS and I have gone through the mental debates about throwing away all my training and starting from scratch...Good luck in your decision!

LoriFalce · October 2008

I told you, Chihuaha! You can be the Nestie consultant doctor, and bill all our pedis!

Seriously, take a few days, a few deep breaths, and some time to think calmly and rationally about what it is about your job that you love, what you would change, and what would be the best way to integrate those.

My mom is looking at getting out of long-term care right now because she sees bureaucracy and insurance companies as conspiring to off the elderly by delaying approval for treatment/medication. She's considering changing to work for a cancer hospice. Maybe private practice, or a free clinic for kids whose parents can't afford insurance, would be the way to go. Our maybe just doing some consulting, or saying "Hell, no, I'm going to be a full-time mom" for a few years.

And if you did that, you'd still be a pedi, after all. You'd just have the one patient.

tai_carter · October 2008

OOOHHH....you could just be a consulting Dr. for us here on the nest.

haha.

Seriously, I would maybe look into volunteering or working part time. You are right, there is always a need for doctors. Smile

chihuahua26 · October 2008

LoriFalce:

you'd still be a pedi, after all. You'd just have the one patient.

Thanks Lori! That's a great way of looking at it!! You made me smile!

LoriFalce · October 2008

chihuahua26:
LoriFalce:

you'd still be a pedi, after all. You'd just have the one patient.

Thanks Lori! That's a great way of looking at it!! You made me smile!

Glad I could help. That will be $150. And I don't take Blue Cross.

amygauntt@windstream.net · October 2008

I say go for it. In your field, if you decide to go back to work in a few years, I don't think it would be a problem, it's not like all that training just disappears b/c of taking a few years off! I honestly think you may regret NOT doing it (I know you've really been thinking about it & wanting to do it)

jmn69 · October 2008

Absolutely quit. You'd be going back in a few years. That is so NOT wasting any of your training, etc. In the long run you'll be glad you had that time with DC.

fiona21408 · October 2008

Good Afternoon! I work in a pediatrian's office as a medical asst, and just this year we had a doc come back after leaving for 5 years to raise her daughter.. She didn't regret it one bit! She still went to conferences, grand rounds etc. But love the 5 years w/her daughter. I say go for it!! Medical field will always be around!!

smailey18 · October 2008

I am with you also.

DH actually said I could quit, but he is Army and is deployed so I thought it might help this year to keep working and have the extra stuff to keep my mind busy. Staying home these days with the baby when she isn't feeling well makes me absolutely regret not staying with her all the time. I wanna be a SAHM!!!!!

Of course when you are under contract and there is no out at this point that is easy to say, but I would seriously think about taking a step away for a while and enjoying your time with your baby.

franciscaz · October 2008

I love pp ideas to maybe do 1/2 day in a family practice clinic or one night a week in an urgent facility maybe! Fact is that you will probably want to go back once your little man is older. But babies are only babies once and you don't seem happy. Life is too short to not love where you are at!

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