Aren’t sabbaticals only for academics? 

No. 

Academics may have more defined policies for sabbaticals, but sabbaticals may actually be easier for physicians in smaller groups. 

Traditionally, academics get one year of sabbatical for every six months of service. This has been decreased markedly, and now only the truly academic physicians with a significant research component may have any sabbatical time. Sabbatical policies vary widely by institution. Very few doctors actually take advantage of them.

How is a sabbatical different from a leave of absence? 

In general, a sabbatical is a personal definition of a temporary departure from a primary job with an associated personal or professional goal (link). 

A leave of absence is more of an institutional definition related to HR. From an administrative standpoint, you may go on a sabbatical during a leave of absence, for example. 

Do you have to have a ton of money saved up to go on sabbatical?

No. There are three levers to control while you’re away: your income, the cost/income of your current life, and your cost of living. You have complete control over all of those. 

Some people who live in a desirable area and spend their sabbatical in a low cost of living area may finish their time with a small profit, even without paid work.

No one in my group/hospital has ever done this before. Does that mean it’s a lost cause?

No. Physicians are very expensive to replace, and it makes more sense for them to keep you happy. 

Plus, if you can make a strong case to the group/hospital for why sabbaticals are important, you may help many of your colleagues pursue a dream they never thought could be a reality.

What if I have too many kids/not enough money/too many roles that would need to be replaced/my workplace couldn’t function without me/it’s not a good time?

Just like with any life change (kids, moving, changing jobs, etc), there will never be a perfect time. There will always be a reason to wait or to scrap the idea all together. I’m guessing many of you had kids or changed jobs at times that weren’t entirely convenient. Planning a sabbatical is very similar. 

One more year syndrome (link) is also prevalent amongst would-be sabbatical-takers. We all saw with COVID that situations can change quickly, and taking advantage of whatever is possible now is as good a place to start as any.