Reader’s Opinion | There are misconceptions about the work of doctors

Doctors part-time work and days off have been discussed a lot now (for example HS Opinion 3.10.). I would like to bring out a perspective of what part-time work often means for a doctor in reality.

In my workplace at the hospital, 100% working time includes, in addition to a full-time weekday, 2-3 evening or weekend on-calls per month. In addition to this, the necessary familiarization with new literature in one’s field and, for example, the numerous presentations with which we aim to educate each other, are regularly done without pay in our free time in the evenings or on weekends. So if I work 100% working time, the actual hours I spend on work are regularly significantly more than 40 hours a week.

I have occasionally done 80 percent working time, and even then, the working hours of the week are often more than 40 hours, including the on-call and independent orientation. I also do research in my field, like most doctors. Due to research, I have occasionally worked 60% of the working time in my hospital work, and used my unpaid days off for research work. So, on paper, my working hours at the hospital have varied between 60 and 100 percent, but in reality I have hardly ever done a work week of less than 40 hours, when you include the on-calls, the necessary continuous self-training and research that benefits my field.

Based on my experience, a large number of doctors who work part-time do not do it to get extra days off, but to even get a regular 40-hour work week sometimes, which in turn helps to cope with heavy and fulfilling work in the future.

Hospital doctor

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