The majority of physicians (57 percent) find that their careers make it hard to maintain friendships at least sometimes, according to a July 20 report from Medscape based on a survey of over 1,500 physicians across 29 specialties.
An additional 18 percent of physicians said their career always makes it hard to maintain friendships, while 18 percent said it rarely does, 6 percent said it never does and 1 percent were unsure.
The report also showed the seven key challenges for physicians when it comes to maintaining close friendships:
1. Not enough free time: 71 percent
2. Growing apart: 30 percent
3. Lack of communication: 23 percent
4. Too much energy needed: 19 percent
5. Political and social differences: 11 percent
7. Other: 7 percent
8. Fear of emotional connection: 5 percent