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Does initial postgraduate career intention and social demographics predict perceived career behaviour? A national cross-sectional survey of UK postgraduate doctors

Does initial postgraduate career intention and social demographics predict perceived career behaviour? A national cross-sectional survey of UK postgraduate doctors

  • August 5, 2019
  • Gillian Marion Scanlan, Jennifer Cleland, Suzanne Anderson Stirling, Kim Walker, Peter Johnston
  • Article

Studies show that personal characteristics and initial career intentions influence medical career decisions, but how these factors interact remains unclear. This study analyzed data from the 2017 UK National Career Destination Survey, examining career intentions at the start and end of the 2-year UK Foundation Programme (FP). Of 5570 respondents, 62.3% who initially intended to enter specialty training still planned to do so after FP, while 37.7% changed their plans. Those who did not intend to pursue specialty training often opted for non-training roles or other opportunities. Graduate entrants to medical school were more likely to enter specialty training immediately after FP. These findings suggest that while initial intention is a strong predictor, career choices can shift during training, highlighting the need for further research into the factors driving these changes.

  • Source: BMJ Open

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