Dataset Information

Exploring reasons behind UK doctors leaving the medical profession: a series of qualitative interviews with former UK doctors.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The retention of doctors is an important issue for the National Health Service; yet evidence suggests that the proportion of doctors wanting to leave UK medicine is increasing. Some of these doctors chose to continue their medical careers in other countries, however, some decided to leave the profession entirely.

Objectives

This was the first study to interview a cohort of UK doctors who have left the medical profession to embark on alternative careers. Participants were asked about the reasoning behind their decision to leave medicine.

Design

Qualitative study using one-to-one, semi-structured virtual interviews.

Participants

17 participants, recruited via purposive sampling.

Setting

Zoom interviews with 17 former UK doctors who had left medicine to pursue alternative careers were conducted between February and July 2021.

Findings

Data were analysed using thematic analysis and the theory of work adjustment was applied to findings. The most frequently discussed reasons for leaving were associated with factors preventing participants from providing a desired level of patient care, work-life balance, a lack of support, a lack of control over working lives and the pull of alternative careers. While reasons for leaving varied between participants, all participants reported greater satisfaction in their new careers.

Conclusion

New careers were able to address many of the issues that caused participants to leave UK medicine. Consequently, it is important that some of the key issues raised in this study are addressed to retain more doctors in the UK medical workforce.

SUBMITTER: Pathmanathan A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10533793 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Exploring reasons behind UK doctors leaving the medical profession: a series of qualitative interviews with former UK doctors.

Pathmanathan Arin A Snelling Iain I

BMJ open 20230922 9

<h4>Background</h4>The retention of doctors is an important issue for the National Health Service; yet evidence suggests that the proportion of doctors wanting to leave UK medicine is increasing. Some of these doctors chose to continue their medical careers in other countries, however, some decided to leave the profession entirely.<h4>Objectives</h4>This was the first study to interview a cohort of UK doctors who have left the medical profession to embark on alternative careers. Participants wer ...[more]

PMID: 37739470

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Project description:OBJECTIVES:To explore the reasons that doctors choose to leave UK medicine after their foundation year two posts. SETTING:All four regions of Scotland. PARTICIPANTS:Foundation year two doctors (F2s) working throughout Scotland who were considering leaving UK medicine after foundation training were recruited on a volunteer basis. Maximum variation between participants was sought. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES:Semistructured interviews were coded using template analysis. Six perspectives, described by Feldman and Ng, were used as the initial coding template. The codes were then configured to form a framework that explores the interplay of factors influencing Foundation Year 2 (F2) doctors' decisions to leave UK medicine. RESULTS:Seventeen participants were interviewed. Six perspectives were explored. Structural influences (countrywide and worldwide issues) included visas, economic and political considerations, structure of healthcare systems and availability of junior doctor jobs worldwide. Organisational influences (the National Health Service (NHS) and other healthcare providers) included staffing and compensation policies, the working environment and the learning environment. Occupational influences (specific to being a junior doctor) comprised the junior doctor contract, role and workload, pursuit of career interests and the structure of training. Work group influences (relationships with colleagues) included support at work, task interdependence and use of locums. Personal life influences consisted of work-life balance, and support in resolving work-life conflict. The underlying theme of 'taking a break' recurred through multiple narratives. CONCLUSIONS:F2s give reasons similar to those given by any professional considering a change in their job. However, working within the NHS as an F2 doctor brought specific challenges, such as a need to make a choice of specialty within the F2 year, exposure to workplace bullying and difficulties in raising concerns. Despite these challenges, most F2s did not view their decision to leave as a permanent job change, but as a temporary break from their current working lives.

Project description:BackgroundMultiple factors can fuel nurses' intention to leave their employing hospital or their profession. Job dissatisfaction and burnout are contributors to this decision. Sociodemographic and work context factors can also play a role in explaining nurses' intention to leave.ObjectiveTo investigate the role of sociodemographic and work context factors, including job resources, job demands, job dissatisfaction, depersonalization, and emotional exhaustion, on nurses' intention to leave their hospital or their profession.DesignMulticentre cross-sectional study.SettingsEight European hospitals, two per each country, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, and Poland.ParticipantsFrom May 16 to September 30, 2022, we collected 1,350 complete responses from nurses working at the selected hospitals (13 % response rate).MethodsThe intention to leave was assessed through two 5-Likert scale outcomes, agreeing with the intention to leave the profession and the intention to leave the hospital. Logistic regression models were used for statistical analysis.ResultsAt the multivariable analysis, a higher intention to leave the hospital was observed for: younger age, having served on the frontline against COVID-19, lack of quipment, living in the Netherlands, emotional exhaustion, dissatisfaction with work prospects, and dissatisfaction with the use of professional abilities. There was a higher intention to leave the profession for: younger age, living in the Netherlands, having work-related health problems, depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, low possibilities of professional development, dissatisfaction with work prospects, lack of use of professional abilities, overall ob issatisfaction, and dissatisfaction with salary. Nurses living in Italy expressed the lowest intention to leave.ConclusionWhile confirming the role of job dissatisfaction and burnout, we found higher intention to leave for young nurses, nurses with work-related health problems, and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dissatisfaction with work prospects, professional development, and salary also increased the intention to leave. We call for educators, managers, and policymakers to address these factors to retain at-risk nursing categories, implementing strategies to mitigate intentions to leave.

Project description:BackgroundThe long-standing underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in medicine is well-known, but poorly documented globally. There is some evidence of the gender gap in academia, medical society leadership, or specific problems in some specialties. However, there are no investigations analyzing all medical specialties together and reporting the glass ceiling from a 360º perspective that includes positions in academia, research, professional organizations, and clinical activity. Additionally, the majority of studies have a US perspective, and we wonder if the perspective of a European country might be different. The WOmen in MEDicine in Spain (WOMEDS) project ( https://womeds.es ) aims to describe and characterize, in a systematic and detailed way, the gender bias in the medical profession in Spain in order to monitor its evolution over time and contribute to prioritizing gender policies.MethodsWe retrieved data for the calendar years 2019-2021 from several sources and selected surveys. We built four groups of indicators to describe leadership positions in the medical profession: (i) leadership in healthcare according to specialty and region; (ii) leadership in scientific and professional bodies; (iii) academic career; and (iv) leadership in clinical research activity. As a summary measure, we reported the women ratios, calculated as the percentage of women in specific top positions divided by the percentage of women in the relevant population.ResultsWe found gender inequity in leadership positions in all four settings. During the observed period, only 27.6% of the heads of departments in hospitals were women compared to 61.1% of women in medical staff. Ten of the 46 medical societies grouped in the Spanish Federation of Medical Societies (FACME) (21.7%) had a women president at some point during the study period, and only 4 annual congresses had ratios of women speakers higher than 1. Women were over-represented in the lower positions and underrepresented in the top academic ones. Only 26% and 27%, respectively, of the heads of departments and deans were women. The applications for public funding for research projects are led by women only in 45% of the cases, and the budget granted to women in public calls was 24.3% lower than that of men.ConclusionIn all the areas analyzed, the leadership positions are still mostly occupied by men despite the feminization of medicine in Spain. The severe gender inequity found calls for urgent interventions within a defined time horizon. Such measures must concern all levels, from national or regional regulation to changes in organizational culture or incentives in specific organizations.

Dataset Information

Exploring reasons behind UK doctors leaving the medical profession: a series of qualitative interviews with former UK doctors.

Background

Objectives

Design

Participants

Setting

Findings

Conclusion

Publications

Exploring reasons behind UK doctors leaving the medical profession: a series of qualitative interviews with former UK doctors.

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