Recruitment to higher specialty training in anaesthesia in the UK during the COVID‐19 pandemic: a national survey

Abstract

There were more applications for higher specialty training posts in anaesthesia in the UK starting in August 2021 than in previous years, with approximately two-thirds being unsuccessful. We surveyed applicants to investigate their experience of the recruitment process (response rate 536/1056; 51%). Approximately 61% of respondents were not offered ST3 posts (n = 326). We enquired about their career plans for the next 12-24 months. Most respondents (79%) intended to take up a post equivalent to a third year of core training or a clinical fellow post from August 2021. Other options considered included: pursuing work abroad (17%); embarking on career breaks (16%); taking up higher training posts in intensive care medicine (15%); and permanently leaving medicine (9%). Nine per cent of respondents also expressed plans to pursue training in another medical specialty. Some expressed an intention to pursue further education or research (10%). A large proportion (42%) expressed a lack of confidence in being able to achieve the training requirements to later apply for a higher training post. The majority reported not feeling confident in achieving specialist registration in anaesthesia in the future without a training number (75%), and noted disruption to their wider life plans from the impending time out of training (78%). Sentiment analysis of freetext responses indicated generally negative sentiment about the recruitment process. Themes elicited included: feeling the recruitment process was unfair; burnout and negative impact on well-being; difficulties in making life plans; and feeling undervalued and abandoned. These results suggest that junior anaesthetic doctors in the UK negatively perceived postgraduate training structures and changes to the postgraduate curriculum and experienced difficulties in securing higher training.

How to conduct survey‐based research

“…The study by Subramaniam et al. is a good recent example of a well‐conducted and reported survey [20]. Ultimately, survey research should produce actionable data, so it is important that the discussion should address how the results will inform practice or future research and what impact these could have on the target population.…”

Once a doctor, always a doctor

“…It is not for lack of ambition, hard work or talent, but it can involve a significant amount of luck to end up in a specialty of choice, not succumb to burnout and to reach the pinnacle of a respective field. 9 There are also significant issues with retention across the medical profession. The recent NHS Workforce Long Term Workforce Plan does have some commendable ideas, but more needs to be done to practically encourage a more diverse pool of entrants into medical school to increase the quality of patient care, but also to defend against workforce attrition and enable a more dynamic, adaptable workforce that has a net positive impact on societal wellbeing.…”

Recruitment to anaesthesia training posts during the COVID‐19 pandemic and beyond

“…Subramaniam et al. have highlighted the depth of feeling around recent recruitment and training issues during the COVID‐19 pandemic from their trainee survey conducted in collaboration with the Association of Anaesthetists [ 4 ]. Questions were drafted and modified from the UK national Foundation Year 2 Career Destinations Reports, and data analysed from 765 respondents of which 536 (70%) had recently applied for ST3 posts through the national UK selection process.…”

“…In this issue, Subramaniam et al. report on the results of a survey regarding ST3 recruitment for posts commencing in August 2021 [ 4 ]. It is clear that this process, and recruitment in general, has caused a significant degree of stress and unhappiness for anaesthetists in training.…”