News Release

Over 40 per cent of doctors want to work part time

Peer-Reviewed Publication

BMJ

Specialist registrars' plans for working part time as consultants in medical specialities: questionnaire study

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More than 40% of all specialist medical registrars are considering working part time as consultants, finds a survey in this week's BMJ. These results are entirely consistent with other recent surveys of trainees and consultants, and their impact on the future supply of consultants is potentially devastating.

The Royal College of Physicians in London sent a questionnaire in December 1999 to all 2,495 trainees in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland holding national training numbers in medical specialties. Replies were received from 1,362.

Of 1,311 who answered the question "would you like a part time post when you become a consultant?" 41% (69% of women and 22% of men) replied "yes." Of 1,309 who answered the question about whether they would consider a "job share" consultant post at some stage in their career, 46% (77% of women and 25% of men) replied "yes."

Whether those who expressed an interest in part time work actually take up such posts depends on many factors, says the author. Yet feedback from focus groups has confirmed that most women trainees envisage working part time when they have young families, and that an increasing proportion of men seek greater participation in family life and perhaps a more balanced lifestyle.

The impact of these factors on the future supply of consultants is obvious and potentially devastating, particularly in specialties with a high proportion of female trainees, yet no allowance has been made for this, argues the author.

Many more part time consultant posts will be needed to use the skills of women and men who seek part time work, and correspondingly, more trainees will be required to maintain an adequate supply of consultants in future years, he concludes.

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Contact:

Hugh Mather, Specialist Registrar Adviser, Royal College of Physicians, London, UK

Tel: 44-20-8967-5489
Mobile: 07711293-440
Email: hmather@onetel.net.uk


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