It is believed that about 33% of surgeons get divorced around the world. Surgeons are accustomed to dealing with intense physical situations, but the emotional toll can be equally intense and devastating. Several reasons have been mentioned that tend to cause the high divorce rate among surgeons. Though this is still the same in other health practitioners such as doctors and physicians.
In this article, we are going to look at the number of surgeons that get divorced, the reasons for a high number of divorces, and the reason behind this. This information will help us understand how the work of a surgeon is and how they deal with various difficulties in their lives.
In Australia, 44% of surgeons get divorced. This is higher than for other professions. Those in the surgical profession who marry have a higher divorce rate. The trend is clearer in the female group, where 50% of female surgeons get divorced, compared to 33% of male surgeons. Those aged between 50 and 59 years have the highest divorce rate, at 55%.
A surgeon’s income is significantly higher than the average person’s, and it’s enough to keep most people from worrying about money. But even the best surgeons aren’t immune to the pressures of marriage. This proves that marriage issues are very serious and can’t be solved by the amount of money an individual has.
The main question still lies on why the divorce rate is very high in surges compared to other individuals across various professions. In the next section, we are going to discuss whether the surgeon’s marriages are all doomed to fail. Are there others that survive and work for some people?
Are Surgeons Marriages Doomed To Fail?
Well, some studies find that surgeons are often single and, some studies find that surgeons have successful marriages. So, are surgeons doomed to marital failure? It is not all bad for all surgeons, some have good marriages. Married surgeons also tended to be more satisfied with their marriages, according to 2009 research.
The researchers examined their chart information and interviews and interviewed some partners as well. Their conclusion: Surgeons’ careers often remove their spouses from their primary circle of support. This is not good news because when one partner feels left out in a marriage, it is likely to cause troubles that can ultimately lead to marriage failure. Surgeons have demanding schedules, and that can be stressful. This is what makes them fail to pay enough attention to their spouses.
This is just one of the reasons for poor marriage among surgeons. The following sections will try to look into other reasons why surgeons tend to have a high divorce rate.
Reasons For High Divorce Rate For Surgeons
Why do so many surgeons get divorced? There may be several factors at play, but the biggest one may be that surgeons tend to be workaholics.
A lot of surgeons and medical students get married. There aren’t a lot of other high-earning professions where marriage is also common. The divorce rate is higher for surgeons when compared to the general population. Although no one can predict when each couple meets when things go sour, certain reasons could add fuel to the fire when a surgeon gets divorced. These reasons can affect medical students as well when they start dating after choosing a career in medicine. Here are five reasons that appear to be causing the high divorce rate among surgeons.
Pressure from Work
One of the reasons why surgeons divorce often is due to the pressure they endure from work. Being a surgeon has long hours and this can lead to exhaustion, probably for both sides. The life of a surgeon is more stressful than everyone else just because of the nature of their jobs. Their job requires dedication, long hours of being on call, an effort to study for guidelines, and more. The surgeons are always on call either at hospitals or in the operating room. These factors push them to stress so much more about their work especially if they have more responsibilities at home.
They Spend Less Time At Home
Maybe they don’t even realize how much time they spend at work or that they don’t spend enough time with their family. Whatever the reason may be, it is something that needs to be addressed so you can have your family live the best quality of life possible.
The biggest problem most surgeons have is that they spend less time at home. Whether that’s because of an abundance of late nights, early mornings, or surgeries – it often leads to long periods where they just aren’t present in their spouse’s life. This creates numerous problems in an intimate relationship. It creates distance.
Depression Due To Workload
Depression due to the workload is one of the main reasons for the high divorce rate among surgeons, according to a recent study. It was based on a survey of surgeons and their spouses. The research found significant links between divorce and long hours, sleep deprivation, and leading a hectic lifestyle.
A patient’s safety is of the utmost importance for surgeons, researchers have found that surgeons are twice more likely to divorce than other specialties due to its effect on their stress levels.
Loneliness
While many surgeons are highly intelligent, the constant stress of the job can get to them depending on how they prioritize their lives. The job also tends to be incredibly lonely. As you make decisions about your future career, consider the type of stress you will be handling and whether your personality can handle it. Also, consider the stress of dealing with patient deaths that’s unavoidable at times.
Loneliness and pressure of their job can lead to burnout and divorce among surgeons. Instead of relying on themselves, they turn to their family, increasing the burden of stress. Split-up is inevitable.
How Surgeons Divorce Affects The Patients
We are all familiar with the feeling of divorce. The emotional roller coaster, the sleepless nights, the confusion, and the overwhelming amount of questions. However, did you know that when divorce happens between a doctor and patient, this can also affect the patient?
While divorce between a doctor and patient is rare, it happens. Some of the more common reasons include infidelity, drug or alcohol abuse, and malpractice. However, some less common reasons include personality differences and competition. What are the consequences of a divorce between a doctor and a patient?
Divorce can have a devastating effect on patients, especially if their physician is their primary caregiver. As the primary caregiver of a patient, a doctor plays an important role in the patient’s life. When a divorce happens between a patient and his or her doctor, this can greatly affect the patient’s treatment. Since the divorce rate is high among surgeons and it affects the patients there needs to be some measure in place to help the surgeons and this will enable them to perform their duty correctly.