Real Self-Care Will Involve Normalizing Gaps on CVs
Author: Avital O’Glasser, MD
Last weekend, amidst an ongoing stretch of stressors, I settled in for some me-time reading Dr. Pooja Lakshmin’s new book “Real Self-Care”. The book–and its wisdom–were exactly what I needed. The book should and does speak for itself, and Dr. Lakshmin deeply deserves all the accolades she has received for it.
Of the many passages and teachings that left me going “WOW!” (that I promise the WIMS Blog audience will resonate with you), there was one in particular that really brought me back to many past conversations with the #WomeninMedicine community. In a foundational exploration of gender inequities in the workplace, and the pressure it puts on women, Dr. Lakshmin writes: “The next year when she was up for promotion, the leadership remarked that her time off was not evidence of failure; it was actually aligned with her strengths and shifted the company’s culture”
Time off NOT seen as an evidence of failure–but as a sign of strength?
The section immediately brought me back to all the conversations about how gaps in CVs or professional dossiers are viewed. (Hint: it’s usually in a negative light…) The themes of the discussions, and self-advocacy, are consistent–gaps in CVs are “BAD”. Demanding that all gaps in CVs and professional dossiers be explained is then fueled by this indoctrination that gaps are “BAD”.
But who is “they” and who gave them permission to decree this? How does this manifest? Examples abound on and off social media–and within the medical, scientific, academic, and other professional communities. It’s also not only in the hiring process–in one example, Dr. Hafiza Khan shared that she is still explaining a pregnancy-complication related gap to state licensing boards/hospital credentialing committees more than two decades later. And even if we seized the opportunity for a gap, opportunities for paid parental leave as well as childcare infrastructure are sorely lacking, as Dr. Rissman’s WIMS Blog post earlier this week analyzed.
As Dr. Arghavan Salles wrote, “people act like any period of time when we are caring for ourselves or our loved ones means there’s something wrong with us. It’s bs.” When did a gap, especially one for lifecycle events, especially medical, and other self-care needs become a sign of weakness? Having to prove that every waking day was devoted to a job or a profession or training pathway like medical school is running ourselves into the ground and harming us.
As Dr. Arghavan Salles and others have advocated, it’s time to “normalize gaps in CVs". I absolutely love how Dr. Lakshmin’s guidance, both within the specific chapter I previously quoted and throughout the entire book, empowers us to shift the conversation–to grab the megaphone and say “a gap on my CV is a sign of STRENGTH”. Inspired by Dr. Lakshmin, my advocacy regarding reclaiming CVs and professional dossiers in the 21st century is truly a form of real-self care. It is humanizing. It is important. It is necessary, and it is crucial work.
As Harmit Malik recently tweeted, “Reviewed a few grant proposals from Sweden these past few weeks. The science was [smiley face emoji] but I was more impressed that every CV had a section about professional breaks for paternal/maternal leave between 5 to 7 months. I was struck by how rarely I see this in USA CVs/ biosketches.”
A paragraph after the line I quoted at the beginning of this article, Dr. Lakshmin writes, “you might be thinking, ‘This system completely sucks. Why don’t we just BURN IT ALL DOWN’”
This work CAN be done–and we will change that narrative with the support of role models and allies. Dr. Fumiko Chino is open and transparent “Cancer Caregiver and Subsequent Cancer Widow” on her CV to force a conversation about her “gap”. Dr. Marley Doyle inserted the challenges of being a parent of a newborn in productivity reviews. Many have added caregiver roles during the pandemic to their professional dossiers. Others are also calling for a renewed perspective on the professional dossier, especially one that is intentional about gender equity and DEI. And those on the reading end of CVs are also challenging the norm. Dr. Naomi Lawrence-Reed recently shared: “Now that I’m building my team, I LOOK for gaps in the resumés of new hires. I want to hear about extended rest, travel, or the pursuit of a passion project.” She went on to say: “I’m simply trying to do my part to reverse the toxicity of this work-to-death culture in healthcare. This system runs on our labor, but we do have agency. We are not helpless. All of us doing something does something.”
Dr. Pooja Lakshmin’s heart, wisdom, and expertise abound in “Real Self-Care”. What I have shared here is just one reflection inspired by one specific line of text. I strongly encourage you to immerse yourselves in it and share how you apply its many sage lessons to your personal and professional domains. Happy reading!
About the authors: Avital O’Glasser, MD, is a hospitalist at Oregon Health & Science University and the editor of the WIMS blog (Twitter: @aoglasser).
