# Survey of work‐from‐home experiences among medical physicists in Southern California during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic

## TL;DR

This study explores the work-from-home experiences of medical physicists in Southern California during and after the pandemic, highlighting benefits and challenges.

## Contribution

The paper presents a survey-based analysis of WFH impacts on medical physicists, identifying hybrid models as a practical solution.

## Key findings

- WFH increased job satisfaction, flexibility, and productivity among medical physicists.
- Hybrid work models were seen as the most practical long-term solution for balancing remote and on-site work.
- Remote work raised concerns about reduced collegial relationships and leadership trust.

## Abstract

To evaluate the work‐from‐home (WFH) status of medical physicists in the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Southern California chapter (SCC) during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic.

An anonymous online survey was conducted through the SurveyMonkey platform and distributed to members of the AAPM SCC in January 2023. The 19 survey questions included eight multiple‐choice questions to collect demographic and background information, ten Likert‐scale items evaluating reasons for WFH, efficiency, flexibility, clinical coverage, collegial relationships, leadership trust, work hours, operating costs, employee satisfaction, and impacts on education, training, and research, plus one open‐ended question to obtain qualitative feedback. and the data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitive methods. Quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses were thematically categorized.

At the end of a 5‐week collection period (January 3, 2023, to February 10, 2023), a total of 62 responses were received (33% response rate). Most respondents identified the COVID‐19 pandemic as the primary driver of WFH and reported that remote work increased job satisfaction, flexibility, and productivity while enabling timely completion of clinical duties. Reported concerns included reduced collegial relationships, limited trust in leadership, extended work beyond official hours, and decreased visibility relative to other clinical staff. Qualitative responses emphasized benefits such as reduced commuting and improved work–life balance, along with challenges for on‐site clinical duties and training. Hybrid work models were frequently identified as the most practical long‐term solution.

This pilot study compared the WFH status among medical physicists from AAPM SCC during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic and highlights both advantages and limitations of WFH for medical physicists. WFH offers notable benefits for medical physicists, including enhanced flexibility and satisfaction. However, essential clinical responsibilities require on‐site presence. These findings support the development of tailored hybrid work models and inform future workforce strategies. Expansion to a national survey is planned to further evaluate WFH practices within the medical physics community.