Doctors’ career choice: previous research and its relevance for policy-making

Abstract

During the last 10 years, a good deal of interest has been shown by both researchers and policy-makers in the factors which determine doctors' choice of specialty. In this sense 'specialty' includes not only the hospital specialties but general practice and occupational and community health. This interest has arisen in part from the problems of geographical and inter-specialty maldistribution which have persisted since the inception of the Health Service. As plans for increasing the total numbers of British doctors begin to be put into effect, the attention of medical manpower planners may well be more sharply focused on ways of ensuring that this increased supply is used in the best possible way.

Determinants of career choices among women and men medical students and interns

“…There is little evidence that differences in specialization rates of men and women are attributable to poorer skills among women graduates; rather, the little evidence available indicates that women are slightly more likely to graduate with honours (Jones & Castle 1989; Kirov 1991) and to be positively rated by supervisors during the intern years (Saunders et al 1988). However, a number of factors have been repeatedly identified as contributing to gender differences, including discriminatory attitudes and practices within medicine (Cohen et al 1988), the limited number of specialties which offer any realistic form of part‐time or interrupted training (Ewan 1986; Gordon 1989), the difficulty in balancing a career and family responsibilities (Hutt et al 1976), long, unpredictable and inflexible working hours and the length of postgraduate training (Ferrier & Cohen 1989), the lack of women role models and a lack of confidence among women medical graduates (Cohen et al 1988).…”

“…However, a number of factors have been repeatedly identified as contributing to gender differences, including discriminatory attitudes and practices within medicine (Cohen et a/. 1988), the limited number of specialties which offer any realistic form of part-time or interrupted training (Ewan 1986;Gordon 1989), the difliculty in balancing a career and family responsibilities (Hutt et al 1976), long, unpredictable and inflexible working hours and the length of postgraduate training (Femer & Cohen 1989), the lack ofwomen role models and a lack of confidence among women medical graduates (Cohen et al 1988).…”

Prestige and Occupational Therapy in Mental Health

“…Whatever the cause, since prestige has a direct bearing on selection of and commitment to a career (Hanlon, 1986;Hutt, 1976) it is i m p o~t to examine not only occupational therapists' self perception, but how colleagues perceive them.…”

“…Intertwined in these experiences may be factors related to prestige. Occupational prestige encompasses one's professional image (Shortell, 1974;Silva et al, 1981), social standing, and esteem (Parker and Chan, 1986a;Treiman, 1977); the same factors that can influence career choice (Hutt, 1976).…”

Choices of careers in medicine: some theoretical and methodological issues

“…The most common method of establishing a synthesis of the findings is the traditional review, although the means and formats vary. The reviews by Hutt (1976), Mowbray (1989) and Davis et al (1990) identify and categorize the factors which have been shown to be associated with specialty choice. Under each group the major findings in question are described, compared and evaluated in order to present an overview.…”