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The Hospitalist Generation

At the same time, generation X values learning new skills or specialties. “As a generation, they tend to be very portfolio-oriented, in any industry,” says Thielfoldt. “They want to build a skills portfolio as they would a financial portfolio. They want expertise and new skills. This is more important to them than how much or how little time they work.”

Generation X may also find hospital medicine to be the perfect job because the management style suits them so well. “Gen Xers are very sensitive to micromanaging,” says Scheef. “And now that they have the confidence of experience, [the negative reaction to micromanaging by a supervisor] is worse. Instead of traditional managing, they are very receptive to expert coaching or formal mentoring. This can tie in really well with helping them develop that skills portfolio.”

Changes Are Coming

As more baby boomers retire and generation X becomes firmly established, healthcare and other industries may change the way they operate. “Gen Xers have growing families now. They have come to the work-life balance issue much earlier than any other generation,” says Thielfoldt. “And unlike previous generations, their top priority is spending time with their children. That sounds crazy, right? Boomers have doted on their children—but they spend their time at work, especially fathers. Gen X fathers spend more time on average with their kids than boomers did at the same age.” The eventual outcome: “Employers need to respect this as a top priority and provide flexible scheduling to allow it.”

Many hospital medicine programs are doing just that, searching for ways to adequately cover the patient census and workload and keep hospitalists happy.

Dr. Smith agrees that change must come to healthcare: “The future environment … must recognize that physician well-being and balance in life is a valid and important concern and does not negate the attainment of professionalism. It must reward excellence, not endurance.”1 TH

Jane Jerrard regularly writes “Career Development.”

References

  1. Smith, LG. Medical professionalism and the generation gap. Am J Med. 2005 Apr;118(4):439-442.

Age Facts

The SHM 2005-2006 “Bi-Annual Survey on the State of the Hospital Medicine Movement.” shows the following breakdown in ages of respondents:

  • The median age of hospital medicine group leaders is 41.
  • The median age of non-leader hospitalist physicians is 37.
  • The median age of non-leader hospitalist nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants is 35.
  • The median age for all hospitalists is 37. This is identical to the median age reported in the 2003-2004 SHM survey.

Timing for Job Searches

Hospitalists, residents, and fellows beginning a job search should start sooner rather than later. Despite the hot job market for hospitalists, a careful, well-thought-out approach to taking a new job will pay off. In addition, remember that it can take six months or longer to get a medical license in some states and three to six months to get credentialed by some HMOs.

Source: “Tips on finding a first job you’ll want to keep,” at www.acponline.org/journals/news/jul98/firstjob.htm

Push for Pay-for-Performance

How you are paid is likely to change within the next two years. If your hospital medicine group is not already using some type of pay-for-performance component, you can join the trend. In an article in the American College of Physicians publication ACP Observer, SHM co-founder Win Whitcomb, MD, urged hospitalists to work closely with their hospital’s quality improvement department to establish their own pay-for-performance programs. Read the full article on how Dr. Whitcomb’s hospital medicine group did just that: www.acponline.org/journals/news/dec05/hospitalpfp.htm

Consider Palliative Medicine Certification

Interested in palliative care? Most licensed, board-certified hospitalists are eligible to take the 4.5-hour American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (ABHPM) certification exam. Inpatient palliative care programs are attracting more notice from hospital administrators, and this certification can help you participate—or lead—efforts to establish and run a palliative care program in your hospital. Visit www.abhpm.org for details.—JJ

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