Tina Tan
This issue's focus is on doctors who are parents of young children (or in some cases, many children), and how they balance life and work. We have also included information about the recent launch of the photo book Women Inspiring Women: The Home Edition – Mothers and Daughters in Healthcare, produced by hobbyist photographer Dr Chua Yang. It is a meaningful project to capture the portraits and stories of mothers and daughters in the healthcare profession. Dr Chua has generously gifted the photo book to the SMA Charity Fund (SMACF), and you can get a copy by donating to SMACF (more details on page 15). Do support this meaningful endeavour.
In addition, we have also featured a book review by Dr Annabel Chew, one of the editors for a book published in 2022 by the Association of Women Doctors (Singapore), titled All About Eve: Your Women's Health Questions Answered. I was honoured to contribute a chapter to this book, which is dedicated to women's health.
By the time this issue is in the hands of readers, Mother's Day will have passed. Some readers might say that we at SMA News are too "women-centric", based on the spread of articles we have this month. All I can say is, not to worry – Father's Day is coming, and we do have something on that note coming up next month.
Lim Ing Haan
Managing the demands of a frontline job and parenthood at the same time requires both organisational and crisis management skills. The timeline for starting a family often mirrors the timeline for career specialisation. The burden of childcare is often shouldered by female doctors who put childcare ahead of their careers. Nowadays, shared parenthood, paternity leave and modern shifts in societal norms mean more equity in parental duties with less worry of guilt and frustration.
This issue's focus is on working parents and how they balance their work and family. We want to celebrate parenthood and share stories of hope. This is not meant to be a survival guide but rather a collection of personal stories from doctors with large families.
A career in medicine can be extremely hectic. We have invited a few doctors who are working parents with large families to pen their thoughts and share their experiences. There is no unique working parent template. Each story we read is special on its own.
Adj A/Prof Gamaliel Tan and Dr Joanna Tan relate how their grandparents made a huge difference and how having faith is their ultimate support. Dr Adrian Loh writes about the importance of having a supportive work culture.
A/Prof Daniel Fung gives some handy tips on how to be nurturing and accessible in a large family. Dr Damian Png and Dr Gladys Wong, both leaders in medical missionary work, show us how to maintain a work-life balance with full-time dual careers and seven kids. Like many families in medicine, they have inspired a few of their own to become the next generation of doctors.
Work-life balance and work-life integration are the new buzzwords for Parenthood 2.0. I wish all working couples a thriving career and a happy family.