SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Beyond Compensation: Understanding How Hospitalists Choose Clinical Shifts

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This single-center qualitative study explored why hospitalists choose certain clinical shifts beyond compensation. In five semi-structured focus groups with faculty in an academic hospital medicine division, participants discussed what makes shifts desirable and what makes them feel burdensome. Transcripts were inductively coded and analyzed by the study team.<br /><br />The findings showed that shift preferences are highly individual and not shared uniformly across the workforce. Hospitalists valued shifts that aligned with their academic interests, supported non-clinical work, fit preferred hours or days, were located at convenient sites, or matched their clinical interests. Sample comments highlighted preferences based on schedule fit, especially for different phases of life and career.<br /><br />Perceived workload was shaped by more than just the number of patients. Participants identified patient-related factors such as acuity, complexity, and emotional intensity; shift-structure factors such as length, schedule design, “pajama time,” census, and workflow predictability; and role-related factors such as being the primary team, consultant, first-call provider, or managing frequent task-switching and other non-clinical responsibilities. Teaching service was often experienced as cognitively demanding because physicians felt they had to be “on” throughout the block.<br /><br />Overall, hospitalists described schedule customization as important for autonomy, professional identity, and career development. The study suggests that designing schedules with variable features and allowing individual choice may improve satisfaction and sustainability. Future research should examine how workload, shift desirability, and scheduling autonomy affect well-being, burnout, and long-term career sustainability.

Asset Subtitle

Claire Howlett

Meta Tag

Author List Adeena Khan, Aline Zorian, Bradley Monash, Claire Howlett, Ethel Wu, Margaret C. Fang, Molly A. Kantor, Sarah Apgar

Category Research

Concept Hospitalist

Concept Workload

Concept Shift Type

Concept Preference

Concept Shift Desirability

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Columbia University

Presenting Author Claire Howlett

Track Quality Improvement

Keywords

hospitalists

shift preferences

schedule customization

workload perception

academic hospital medicine

semi-structured focus groups

burnout

autonomy

clinical shifts

career sustainability

Hospitalist

Workload

Shift Type

Preference

Shift Desirability