Table 10 Illustrative participant quotes on the impact on personal and family life

…when doing obstetrics… in the soft call system where you can be called any time from home, you really need to have all of the supports available… to be able to drop off kids at a minute’s notice. (Family Physician, woman, ON)

… when I finished residency, I always thought I’d do obstetrics. But then I had these twins, and it’s been a lot… they’re four now and I always thought when they get to kindergarten, perhaps I can go back to obstetrics because I love it. But it just hasn’t worked for my family. (Family Physician, woman, BC)

…I wanted to be home for dinner with my family every night… the way I grew up… having dinner with my family every night, that was a priority. I didn’t want to be stuck in the hospital every weekend or every evening… I think that really shaped how I practice. (Family Physician, woman, NS)

I would love to. It’s certainly like my all-time favourite thing to do in family medicine. But my husband is an obstetrician. And realistically balancing two call schedules with family… would be a bit of a nightmare. (Family Physician, woman, NS)