|
The freedom of
clinical autonomy, not income, is the primary factor that
determines whether or not physicians are satisfied with their
careers, according to a recent survey.
The survey involved
more than 12,000 U.S. physicians who were interviewed regarding
career satisfaction in 1997, 1999 and 2001.
There was little
change in overall physician satisfaction during the study
period, however individual markets varied widely. For example,
42 percent of primary care physicians were "very satisfied"
with their careers in 1997, compared with 39 percent in 2001.
However, the lowest rate of physician dissatisfaction, nine
percent, occurred in Lansing, Michigan in 1999 while the highest
rate of dissatisfaction, 34 percent, occurred in Miami in
1997.
According to researchers,
measures of clinical autonomy, such as the ability to order
services for a patient and the number of work hours, were
the strongest indicators of career satisfaction, even more
important than income.
Researchers plan
to reanalyze the survey data to determine what factors make
a physician cut back work hours or leave the field. Additionally,
they will conduct a similar survey from 2003 to 2004.
JAMA
January 22 2003;289:442-449
| 