The Hidden Burden of Women Doctors (Ft. Dr. Marcia Glass)
Navigating Imposter Syndrome, Gender Bias, and Burnout: Real Talk for Women in Medicine
Hi everyone! Dr. Rob Beck here—internist, podcaster, proud dad, and host of The Interesting MD. If you’re new to our little corner of the internet, this blog (and my podcast) is all about what we do as doctors outside of treating patients. It’s also about honest conversations—especially those we need to have but don’t always make time for.
Today, I want to talk about something incredibly important: the challenges women face in medicine. This isn’t just another post about “work-life balance.” It’s about imposter syndrome, gender (and minority) bias, “mom guilt,” and how these things drive burnout among women doctors. Most importantly, I want to share stories, strategies, and a few lessons learned along the way.
The Reality: Gender Bias and Microaggressions in Medicine
This week, I was lucky to have Dr. Marcia Glass—international physician, academic leader, and mom of three—join me again. If you haven’t listened yet, go check out IMD Episode 9! Marcia is candid, insightful, and brings an honest voice to topics many are too nervous (or tired) to tackle out loud.
One of the recurring themes we explored is microaggression: those everyday, often subtle, (and sometimes not-so-subtle) moments where women doctors are mistaken for nurses, or asked, “Who’s making dinner if you’re still at the hospital?” As a male physician, no one has ever commented on how tired I look, or asked who’s watching my kids during 12-hour shifts. Women get questions and “advice” that would never come my way.
Dr. Glass shared a jaw-dropping moment: a fellow doctor publicly suggested at grand rounds that, since women doctors “get burned out faster,” we should just hire men. Let that sink in. That happened. Recently. In 2024!
Why This Matters: Burnout by the Numbers
The statistics are staggering:
56% of female physicians experience burnout, compared to 44% of male physicians.
26.4% of female doctors struggle with work-family conflict (compared to 6.1% of men)—what the research calls “mom guilt.”
While more women are entering medicine (the latest med school classes in Canada are at parity, if not predominantly women), only 38% of practicing physicians are women.
Alarmingly, 22.6% of women with children are not working full-time (versus 3.6% of men). For those who do reduce hours or step back, childcare is overwhelmingly cited as the main reason.
The issue isn’t that many want to work less, but that the workplace is structured in a way that often makes full-time work unsustainable for women—especially when it comes to parenthood.
Imposter Syndrome: The Silent Career Killer
When you’re a minority in medicine—whether because of your gender, ethnicity, or being the first in your family to go to med school—imposter syndrome stalks your every step. Dr. Glass and I discussed how, if patients constantly second-guess whether you belong, or if supervisors unconsciously judge you differently in recommendations, it chips away at your sense of competence and confidence.
It’s a vicious cycle: bias feeds self-doubt, and self-doubt makes it harder to practice confidently. The result? Worse patient care, less job satisfaction, and rising burnout rates. We’re not talking about this enough.
Strategies That Really Help: What Can We Do About It?
Here are some practical steps and lessons, straight from our conversation and our lived experiences:
1. Mentorship Changes Lives
Dr. Glass credits much of her fulfillment to mentoring future doctors—especially women, first-generation med students, and students of color. Medicine is full of “who-you-know” moments, and not everyone starts with those family connections. If you can be a mentor, do it. If you need one, ask—you might be surprised who says yes.
2. Set Boundaries and Speak Up (When You Can)
It’s not easy or always possible, but naming inappropriate comments (like “the neighbors are talking about how much you work”) can be powerful. Sometimes, it’s about choosing which battles to pick, but as Dr. Glass noted, “You can't just sit there and take it. I don't think that's healthy.” Setting boundaries—kindly but firmly—helps normalize the idea that women and their partners get to define their own version of balance.
3. Support Each Other, Without Judgment
Whether it’s labor choices, feeding options, or working hours—let’s stop judging one another! Every journey is unique. As Dr. Glass reminded us, focusing on whether someone had “enough” pain relief in labor, or breastfed “long enough,” is just another form of internalized bias.
4. Normalize Asking for and Offering Help
One of the most poignant stories Dr. Glass shared was of her own return to work after a miscarriage—something she now recognizes she shouldn’t have had to shoulder alone. Every transition back from leave—whether parental or following loss—is challenging. Reach out, ask “how’s it really going?” and really listen to the answer.
5. Employers: Create Real Flexibility
For anyone making hiring or policy decisions: make sure your workplace truly supports work-life balance—including for men who want to be involved parents. Offer flexible schedules, parental leave, and a culture that does not penalize people for using them. The numbers are clear: until that happens, we’ll keep losing too many smart, dedicated women from the frontlines.
Why This is Personal
My wife, Andrea, is an internist, mother, and the person who has done the same jobs as me—except with way more scrutiny about her wardrobe, her “appearance,” and how she managed childcare. I’ve seen up close how the system piles on professional women and expects them to push through. I’ve also seen firsthand, as a resident, how senior women doctors have had to fight for credibility even as they quietly changed the game for generations that followed.
And, as Dr. Glass so beautifully reminded me during our chat—sometimes, being the one to step in, back up a colleague, or just give someone permission to take care of themselves can change, maybe even save, lives.
The Takeaway
We might not have all the answers—certainly not in the space of a single podcast episode, or blog post. But if you’re a woman (or minority, or anyone feeling sidelined) in medicine: know that you’re not imagining it. Even now, bias and burnout are real problems. And you’re not alone.
For all of us: be the person who makes things a little bit easier for someone else. Mentor, support, speak up, set boundaries, and design better workplaces. We can do better—and if we want a truly effective, compassionate healthcare system, we must.
Thanks for reading—I appreciate every one of you. If you’ve got your own stories, ideas, or questions, shoot me a message, leave a comment, or join the conversation on the podcast. And hey—if you’d like to hear more deep dives into medicine and life outside the white coat, subscribe to The Interesting MD on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.
Wishing you balance, meaning, and yes—rest.
– Dr. Rob Beck
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