'I didn't see my children awake for seven days': the painful pursuit of work-life balance for doctors

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By Erin Dean

As a new Doctors.net.uk survey shows that most doctors with young children struggle to find suitable childcare, several describe the at-times impossible juggle and what it has meant for their careers and life at home.

During a recent working week, general surgery registrar Ms Radhika Chadha didn’t get to see her toddler or four-year-old awake at all.

“I didn't see my children for seven days straight on my ward-based week,” said the Association of Surgeons in Training representative for Oxford. “I would leave before they woke up and go into their bedroom and give them a kiss when I got home and they were already asleep. You know that ultimately you accept the career path you’ve chosen, but it's pretty demoralising. It's upsetting.”

She and her partner, who is also a doctor, moved a few years ago to be closer to family for childcare support, but this has left her with a 90-minute commute each way to work. On a normal day she is up at 5.30am and out of the door at 6am.