The female physician viewpoint in relation to marital satisfaction: How male spouses and female physicians define marital satisfaction

The marriage between the physician and nonphysician spouse can be extraordinarily stressful due to balancing family life, professional pressures, and long work hours. The shared experience of the medical marriage contributes to meanings understood solely by physicians and families. The research study used feminist, phenomenological, and ethnographic research theories to understand better marital satisfaction within the context and culture of the medical marriage. It was identified during the research process that within the medical marriage, stressors encountered by the female physician in the daily work environment place strain on a marital relationship. It is important that the female physician receive positive support and encouragement from their spouse to counteract professional stressors. The predominant theme that occurred in every transcript was the need for the male spouse to be understanding of the female physicians work hours and dedication to the medical profession. It is imperative in society that female physicians experience positive marital relationships, because this will affect their overall life satisfaction and interactions with patients. Female physicians play an important role in society, and it is imperative that counseling research explores the unique needs of this population.