I've been home with my daughter for the last 5 years which has been really terrific but I do miss the lack of intellectual stimulation and patient interaction.I want to work(part-time initially) but at the same time have a great deal of anxiety about how I'd do after being away for so long.Though spending time with my daughter has been wonderful,being a physician was so much a part of my identity that I think my self -esteem has taken a bit of a blow .Is there anyone out there who's been in the same boat who has any words of wisdom?

I am eager to hear soemone's reply bc I am going to do what nims did most likely...\
I ahve a girldfriend-pediatrician who just had baby #3 and has been home full time for two yrs this month!

nims--I have been out of medicine for six years now and am now anxious to return. I really enjoyed medicine, but really wanted to be around for my children's early years. I just applied for my license and need to take the SPEX to get it. I have started reviewing and really am enjoying relearing and remembering. I am planning to start with life insurance exams and possibly apply to residency programs.

I just read the book Sequencing and was happy to find one mom mentioned who was a Harvard pediatric cardiologist who then stayed home for five years and then went back to a psychiatry residency.

Are you board certified? Is a fellowship an option? It seems that in other fields, like teaching, women who stay at home for a while can go back to school and then get back into the job market. My mom was a teacher, then stayed at home for 16 years after she had children, and then went back to school for a master's and was able to find a job fairly easily. I'm hoping that medicine will afford us a similar opportunity though I do not intend to stay at home as long as she did.

kjmerc-I am BC and have also completed a fellowship.I just never got a chance to work after I completed my fellowship.I've been wondering how "marketable" I am after 5 years at home.I'm also licensed, so I don't need to do the SPEX.
By the way,were you practicing before you became a SAHM?

bump...

I just started back after being out for a bit more than a year, I was just one year out of residency when I went out, so I was very nervous about it. So far things have gone just fine and it wasn't much of an adjustment. Even in the year I was out there are a few things that are different in the way things are done. I know one year is very different from 5 so this probably isn't too helpful for you, but I thought I'd reply anyway because I was just so terrified before I went back, and it really has been easy.
I'm working in an indigent clinic setting with mostly hispanic patients who are so grateful, it has been a great boost for my self esteem as I started back to work.

I was happy to see this topic and wish you ladies luck! Coincidentally, I am on the verge of leaving practice after 8 years to spend a few years with my kids. I plan to make the announcement to my partner in the morning! I'm simultaneously excited and terrified. Everyone in my life is behind me 100%, except my partner who will be left carrying the practice by himself. We have searched in vain for 2 years and have not been able to find a replacement, and I finally realized that I have to make the break no matter what. I was wondering how many years I could be gone, and still get back in to medicine. I think the answer is.. whatever I need! I am in neurology now, but plan when I re-enter to go into psych or get a degree in counselling. I love this suportive network- it seems like whatever the issue, somebody else has experienced it

When I graduated from med school in 1999, word was that you could only do one residency. If you picked I-med or FP you got "three GME funded years" for residency, if you picked surgery you got "five GME funded years", etc. GME is graduate medical education, basically Medicare money given to the programs to "train residents", that is 150,000 per year per resident. After you run out of funded years, you would have a hard time finding a program that would take you considering that the government would not be giving the program any money for your training.

This may not apply to people who graduated ten years ago or so, but I think that's the way it is now.

2 issues here- first, many programs are having trouble filling wit US grads. I know that some programs are so short staffed that attendings are having to fill in doing work that residents used to do!
Secondly, there are openings for those who can 'fund themselves,' or work without pay. if you and your family could make it with you being a SAHM, then you could afford to do another residency or fellowship without salary. You can also get a grant to cover your salary. There are many creative ways to accomplish what you want. Never let fear put up a roadblock.

Wow, I've never heard that about only being able to do one residency. Psych is certainly one of the most popular second residencies, often for people returning after years of practice in int medicine or FP. We had 2 of 12 people in my class ('97-'00) who were on second residencies. One had done FP and one had done preventive medicine.