Working Part-Time: Exploring Your Perceptions

Describe your current professional/work positions(s) for the first position you hold:
 

Academic/teaching:
  part-time  full-time   average hours per week

Patient-Care:
  part-time  full-time  average hours per week

Research position:
  part-time  full-time  average hours per week

Administrative:
  part-time  full-time  average hours per week

For the second position you hold:

Academic/teaching:
  part-time  full-time   average hours per week

Patient-Care:
  part-time  full-time  average hours per week

Research position:
  part-time  full-time  average hours per week

Administrative:
  part-time  full-time  average hours per week

2. Rank these factors in their importance of how you choose your work. ( 1= most important; please use each number only once)

 Financial support

 Utilizing present skills

 Developing new skills

 Service to patients

 Mentoring/teaching

 Creativity in developing your position

 Professional satisfaction

 Other 

3. Describe your interest/status in working part-time. (Check only one)

 Exploring idea of part-time work, no immediate plans

 Choice for now; anticipating full-time in 2-5 years

 Choice for now, not sure about later

 Choice for the foreseeable future

 Choice for now before transitioning into no work

 Choice after formal retirement

 Other

4. What factors influence your decision to work part-time? (Please check one in all categories)

Income needs
   extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Benefits (e.g. health insurance) for yourself
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Benefits (e.g. health insurance) for family
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Family obligations (needs of spouse/partner/children)
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Desire for free time to pursue personal interests
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Desire to pursue other professional/work interests
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Personal health issues
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Decreased interest in working
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Step toward career change
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Ability to accommodate spouse/partner job requirements
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Move to a new location
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Need to limit stress
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Dissatisfaction with current position
  extremely important  somewhat important  not important

Other 
 extremely important  somewhat important  not important

5. What life events do you anticipate in the next 5 year that will impact your need to work part-time? (Check all that apply)

 Birth of child

 Career change for self

 Career change for spouse/partner

 Care of other family members

 Retirement

 Other

6. Describe the importance of each of these part-time job factors in influencing your consideration/selection of a part-time position.

Income
  extremely important  important  incidental

Flexibility in work schedule
  extremely important  important   incidental

Defined schedule (i.e. limit on nights no ER)
  extremely important  important  incidental

Maternity/paternity leave
  extremely important  important  incidental

Family leave
  extremely important  important  incidental

On-site child care
  extremely important  important  incidental

Stress level of position
  extremely important  important  incidental

Ability to accomodate personal health issues
  extremely important  important  incidental

Type of work (clinical, adminstrative, setting)
  extremely important  important  incidental

Need to relocate
  extremely important  important  incidental

Clear job description
 extremely important  important  incidental

Other
  extremely important  important  incidental

7. Are you the sole decision-maker regarding your job decisions?

 Yes  No

If you answered no above, what are the concerns of the other decision maker(s)?

8. What best describes your perception of the general climate for part-time job options in medical practice? Choose only one.

 There is a clear understanding of part-time work in the work environment, and part-time positions are available.

 Part-time positions are available, but the concept is not well understood and/or accepted.

 Part-time work is possible but there is a lack of models to follow and positions are generally less structured and well defined.

 Part-time work positions are not very available and may be nonexistent in certain specialities and/or practice environments.

9. What is your perception of part-time employees in general?

A. Part-time employees: "seriousness" about work.

 Often less serious than full-time employees

 Equally as serious as full-time employees

 Often more serious than full-time employess

B. Part-time positions: professional development

 Working part-time limits professional development

 No independent effect on professional development

 Enhances professional development

C. Part-time positions: availability.

 Good positions are not readily available

 Good positions are available on a limited basis

 Good positions are readily available

10. Rank the following in importance to your decision making process (1= most important; please use each number only once)

 Personal knowledge of or personal contact at proposed job

 Desire to work for a particular organization/practice

 Geographic requirements

 Availability of the hours/days schedule needed

 Other

This Web-based resource has been developed by the AMA-WPC and the AAP to collect and disseminate information and advice about working part-time from physicians like you.  If you are willing to anonymously share your answers to the self assessment, submit it electronically using the submit button below or you can print and fax your answers to (312) 464-5845.

Your specialty:

If you have children, what are their ages?

Gender:
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Your Age: