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BMC medical education
Jul 10, 2019;19 (1): 257.

Junior doctors' early career choices do not predict career destination in neurology: 40 years of surveys of UK medical graduates.

Atena Barat, Michael J Goldacre, Trevor W Lambert
Author Information
  1. Atena Barat: UK Medical Careers Research Group, Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
  2. Michael J Goldacre: UK Medical Careers Research Group, Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
  3. Trevor W Lambert: UK Medical Careers Research Group, Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK. trevor.lambert@dph.ox.ac.uk. ORCID
PMID: 31292002 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-019-1650-7

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The rapidly rising rates of brain diseases due to the growing ageing population and the explosion in treatment options for many neurological conditions increase the demand for neurologists. We report trends in doctors' career choices for neurology; investigate factors driving their choices; and compare doctors' original choices with their specialty destinations.
METHODS: A multi-cohort, multi-purpose nation-wide study using both online and postal questionnaires collected data on career choice, influencing factors, and career destinations. UK-trained doctors completed questionnaires at one, three, five, and ten years after qualification. They were classified into three groups: graduates of 1974-1983, graduates of 1993-2002, and graduates of 2005-2015.
RESULTS: Neurology was more popular among graduates of 2005-2015 than earlier graduates; however, its attraction for graduates of 2005-2015 doctors reduced over time from graduation. A higher percentage of men than women doctors chose neurology as their first career choice. For instance, among graduates of 2005-2015, 2.2% of men and 1.1% of women preferred neurology as first choice in year 1. The most influential factor on career choice was "enthusiasm for and commitment to the specialty" in all cohorts and all years after graduation. Only 39% who chose neurology in year 1 progressed to become neurologists later. Conversely, only 28% of practicing neurologists in our study had decided to become neurologists in their first year after qualification. By year 3 this figure had risen to 65%, and by year 5 to 76%.
CONCLUSIONS: Career decision-making among UK medical graduates is complicated. Early choices for neurology were not highly predictive of career destinations. Some influential factors in this process were identified. Improving mentoring programmes to support medical graduates, provide career counselling, develop professionalism, and increase their interest in neurology were suggested.

Keywords

Career choice Junior Medical Medical education Neurology Physicians Workforce

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Grants

  1. 016/0118/Dept of Health

MeSH Term

Attitude of Health Personnel
Career Choice
Education, Medical, Graduate
Female
Humans
Job Satisfaction
Male
Medical Staff, Hospital
Neurology
Retrospective Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
Time Factors
United Kingdom
Young Adult
Journal Article Multicenter Study
Article has an altmetric score of 11

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0graduatescareerneurologychoiceschoiceyearneurologists2005-2015doctors'factorsdestinationsdoctorsamongfirst1medicalincreasestudyquestionnairesthreeyearsqualificationNeurologygraduationmenwomenchoseinfluentialbecomeCareerUKJuniorMedicalBACKGROUND:rapidlyrisingratesbraindiseasesduegrowingageingpopulationexplosiontreatmentoptionsmanyneurologicalconditionsdemandreporttrendsinvestigatedrivingcompareoriginalspecialtyMETHODS:multi-cohortmulti-purposenation-wideusingonlinepostalcollecteddatainfluencingUK-trainedcompletedonefivetenclassifiedgroups:1974-19831993-2002RESULTS:popularearlierhoweverattractionreducedtimehigherpercentageinstance22%1%preferredfactor"enthusiasmcommitmentspecialty"cohorts39%progressedlaterConversely28%practicingdecided3figurerisen65%576%CONCLUSIONS:decision-makingcomplicatedEarlyhighlypredictiveprocessidentifiedImprovingmentoringprogrammessupportprovidecounsellingdevelopprofessionalisminterestsuggestedearlypredictdestinationneurology:40 yearssurveyseducationPhysiciansWorkforce

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