OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the personal and professional characteristics, and the physical, psychiatric/psychological, and professional issues that exist among master's-, doctoral-, and post-doctoral-level health professionals. METHODS: A cross-sectional, online, self-reported survey of 452 postgraduates who completed master's, doctoral, or post-doctoral degrees in one graduate program in pediatrics in Sã o Paulo, Brazil, was conducted. RESULTS: The response rate was 47% (211/453). The majority of participants were women (78%) and physicians (74%), and the median age was 47 years (28-71). Master's, doctoral, and post-doctoral degrees were reported by 73%, 53%, and 3%, respectively. High workload (440 hours/week) occurred in 59%, and 45% earned X15 minimum wages/month. At least one participation in scientific meeting in the past year was reported by 91%, and 79% had published their research. Thirty-nine percent served as a member of a faculty of an institution of higher learning. The data were analyzed by two age groups: participants aged p48 years (group 1) and participants aged 448 years (group 2). The median rating of overall satisfaction with the profession in the past year [8 (0-10) vs. 9 (1-10), p=0.0113]; workload 440 hours/week (53% vs. 68%, p=0.034); and X15 minimum wages/month (37% vs. 56%, p=0.0083) were significantly lower in group 1. Further analysis by gender revealed that the median rating of overall satisfaction with the profession in the past year [8 (0-10) vs. 9 (3-10), p=0.0015], workload 440 hours/week (53% vs. 83%, p=0.0002), and X15 minimum wages/month (37% vs. 74%, p=0.0001) were significantly lower in women compared with men. The median rating of overall satisfaction with the mentorship supervision provided was significantly higher among the women 10 (5-10) vs. 10 (2-10), p=0.0324]. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of master's-, doctoral-, and post-doctoral-level health professionals were women and physicians, and had published their thesis. Younger postgraduates and women reported low salaries, less likelihood of working 440 hours/week, and less overall satisfaction with their profession. Further longitudinal and qualitative studies are warranted to assess career trajectories after graduation.
is a extension project of University of São Paulo created in 1957 that annually develops interdisciplinary educational, scientific and healthcare activities in different regions of Brazil. The project team involves around 160 students and 50 professionals from different areas of knowledge working in an interdisciplinary way. It covers an eight-month preparatory phase aimed at identifying cities' demands as well as selecting and preparing the students and professionals that will take part on a expedition, lasting ten days. In the expedition itself, these students work at outpatient clinics, perform domiciliary visits, collect scientific data and develop educational activities. The healthcare activities are carried out exclusively by Medical Students, with the help and supervision of university residents, from several different specialties. This consists in a vast opportunity to learn about the different pathologies treated at the expedition, applying technical and scientific knowledge within the project and the city's limitations, improve their semiologic abilities and getting to know a completely different reality in their own country. It is the project's firm belief that this experience helps students shape the way they practice Medicine into a more humanized paradigm, taking into account the many different psychological, social and economic aspects of disease, rather than understanding Health solely as a biological process.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
334 Leonard St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.