A board-certified anesthesiologist with six years of clinical practice leaves in order to care for ailing parents. After a five-year hiatus, the physician wants to return to clinical practice. What are the options available?
It is not possible to know how many anesthesiologists are in a similar situation of seeking to return to clinical practice after taking a career hiatus. The reasons for career hiatus vary tremendously, ranging from family obligations (e.g., raising children or caring for a family member) to recovering from a personal illness (physical or mental). Because clinical competency requires constant maintenance of technical and critical decision-making skills, particularly during rapidly changing clinical situations, anesthesiologists are hesitant to take a hiatus when it is unclear how to reenter clinical work. For the specialty, losing highly trained physicians from the workforce with no reentry path is even more detrimental to the current workforce shortage. Anesthesiologists risk burnout, wellness...
