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WOMEN IN
MEDICINE

Work-Life A
s I look back on my career in medicine, I ponder this question
and wonder how well I achieved this balance. There were times
when I believed I had it all under control and could conquer the
Balance: world. At other times, it seemed as if I were chasing that elusive unicorn in
a fantasy world that would never merge with my daily reality.
Is there such a thing as the perfect work-life balance? Probably not, espe-
Does It Really Exist? cially since it is a moving target that varies with the stage of your career and
family situation. Am I an expert on this topic? By no means. Have I learned
all the secrets to obtaining this balance? Certainly not. But after three
By Lou Anne Wellford, MD decades in medicine and raising three children in a dual physician house-
hold, I have learned that a suitable balance is achievable. Like everything
else in life, however, it takes hard work and frequent reassessment to reach
that goal.
Perhaps it is easier for me to reach this conclusion now that my children
have grown and left home—I actually have time to take a deep breath and sit
down long enough to write an article. Ten to fifteen years ago, I was simply
in survival mode, barely able to drag myself out of bed in the morning, let
alone contemplate such a nebulous concept as a balanced life. Each of you

20 SAN ANTONIO MEDICINE • November 2021