All You Need Is Love

The Hospitalist. 2011 May;2011(05):

May 1, 2011 | The Hospitalist

They recently were on clinical service together during a blizzard. “We also co-mentor several trainees,” Dr. Arora says, “which is actually really fun. For example, I can refer trainees to David if they’re interested in economics, and if someone has a quality/safety interest, he could refer that person to me” (see “Keys to Thriving as a Dual-Hospitalist Couple,” above).

The Gundersens’ professional interests forked when Jasen found his niche in administrative work and started to pursue an MBA in 2007. Meanwhile, Liz was finding her own niche doing quality improvement (QI) and became one of the physician quality officers at UMass Memorial.

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Keys to Thriving as a Dual-Hospitalist couple

What advice might our couples have for young hospitalist couples just starting out? “Don’t be too guided by convention,” advises Dr. Whitcomb, who met his wife in residency in 1991, long before HM was a clear career choice. “Not only in your career path, but in the way you configure your job. … I think both of us had the inclination to try things that appealed to us but were not conventional at that time. I think you should look to continually reconfigure your job to meet the changing needs of your family. Continually re-evaluate, and don’t be afraid to talk to your employer about changing your role and time commitment.”

Dr. Meltzer agrees, and suggests taking time to plan not only your work life, but also your family life. “There are some logistical things you can do that really do make a difference,” he says. “For example, deciding whether you want to be on service at the same or different times, or when you will take vacations. Don’t be sheepish about requesting things like that.

“A couple shouldn’t be treated any better or worse than anyone else,” he adds, “but if you don’t at least express your preferences, it will be less likely that they will be possible.”—GH

Drs. Fang and Sharpe have experienced similar career divisions with their hospitalist roots. Dr. Sharpe is focused on medical education, while Dr. Fang’s focus predominantly is clinical research. “Between the two of us, we capture many of the elements of academic hospitalist practice,” she says. “I think having our diverse interests gives us a lot of knowledge and expertise about our respective fields. I’m able to learn a lot about how the hospital works and about clinical teaching from Brad, and, hopefully, he can come to me for research advice.”

We certainly talk about things that don’t involve work, but we do not say, “We will absolutely not talk about work.” That’s like saying there is not an elephant in the room.—David O. Meltzer, MD, PhD, FHM, chief, Division of Hospital Medicine, University of Chicago Department of Medicine, director, Center for Health and the Social Sciences, Chicago

Drs. Dandu and Afshar have branched out, too. He completed additional residency training in emergency medicine and she acquired an MPH at the University of California at Berkeley. Subsequently, she became associate director of Pathways to Discovery in Global Health, the global health elective program for medical students.

“If you follow your passion in your career, that will allow you to bring a happier individual to your relationship,” Dr. Whitcomb adds.

Schedule Time Together

Communication is a major factor when dual-hospitalist couples plan and execute their weekly schedules. “We try to have an organizing conversation at the end of each weekend,” says Dr. Wark, who also is the keeper of the family calendar and “the glue” that keeps her family of four on track.