Dissertation: “The Work-home Interface across the Life Course”
The consequences of working for pay while caregiving for individual well-being have been a concern for sociologists since the rapid entry of women into the paid labor force. Work and family can be “greedy institutions”, each demanding much of an individual’s time and energy. Engaging in role responsibilities in both domains may result in role strain for those who have commitment to both, and potentially lead to higher levels of stress and lower levels of well-being. However, occupying multiple roles can enhance the wellbeing of an individual by giving one access to more resources, embedding individuals in a variety of social networks and conferring a sense of identity. Recent research has emphasized that the experience of employment and caregiving is by no means uniform, but rather varies by how and when one transitions into and out of both worker and caregiver roles across the life course. This source of non-random selection leads to meaningful variation in the experiences of those who work for pay and care for their loved ones. In my dissertation, I use both quantitative and qualitative methods to further this line of questioning, highlighting exactly how selection and life course context shape experiences at the intersection of the work and home domains, and subsequent individual health and well-being.
Professional Socialization and Autonomy: The Case of the Medical Profession
My other on-going research focuses on the medical profession during a period of system-wide healthcare reform. I am particularly interested in the socialization and professionalization processes in medical education as well as the state of professional autonomy amongst practicing physicians. In a sole-authored paper published in Social Science and Medicine, I use four waves of the CTS Physician Study to examine how physicians practicing in a variety of practice types (solo, small group, and large group practices) perceive their levels of autonomy. In a first-authored paper also published in Social Science and Medicine, I use qualitative interview data to document how premedical students strike the balance between competing and cooperating with their peers.
Click here to see my physician autonomy paper.
Click here to see my premedical experience paper.
The consequences of working for pay while caregiving for individual well-being have been a concern for sociologists since the rapid entry of women into the paid labor force. Work and family can be “greedy institutions”, each demanding much of an individual’s time and energy. Engaging in role responsibilities in both domains may result in role strain for those who have commitment to both, and potentially lead to higher levels of stress and lower levels of well-being. However, occupying multiple roles can enhance the wellbeing of an individual by giving one access to more resources, embedding individuals in a variety of social networks and conferring a sense of identity. Recent research has emphasized that the experience of employment and caregiving is by no means uniform, but rather varies by how and when one transitions into and out of both worker and caregiver roles across the life course. This source of non-random selection leads to meaningful variation in the experiences of those who work for pay and care for their loved ones. In my dissertation, I use both quantitative and qualitative methods to further this line of questioning, highlighting exactly how selection and life course context shape experiences at the intersection of the work and home domains, and subsequent individual health and well-being.
Professional Socialization and Autonomy: The Case of the Medical Profession
My other on-going research focuses on the medical profession during a period of system-wide healthcare reform. I am particularly interested in the socialization and professionalization processes in medical education as well as the state of professional autonomy amongst practicing physicians. In a sole-authored paper published in Social Science and Medicine, I use four waves of the CTS Physician Study to examine how physicians practicing in a variety of practice types (solo, small group, and large group practices) perceive their levels of autonomy. In a first-authored paper also published in Social Science and Medicine, I use qualitative interview data to document how premedical students strike the balance between competing and cooperating with their peers.
Click here to see my physician autonomy paper.
Click here to see my premedical experience paper.