Table 3 UK doctors who specified each factor as influencing their choice of career “a great deal”
Factor influencing career choice | Year 1 | Year 3 | Year 5 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Neurology N (%) | Other hospital physician specialties N (%) | Neurology N (%) | Other hospital physician specialties N (%) | Neurology N (%) | Other hospital physician specialties N (%) | |
Domestic situation | 62 (19.5*) | 1738 (24.9) | 36 (17.6*) | 801 (23.6) | 53 (24.2) | 921 (28.0) |
Hours/working conditions | 79 (27.9) | 1925 (31.9) | 68 (48.2**) | 806 (36.3) | 69 (41.6) | 1027 (39.9) |
Future financial prospects | 14 (6.0) | 455 (8.4) | 8 (5.7) | 192 (8.6) | 9 (5.4) | 208 (8.0) |
Financial circumstances whilst training | 4 (11.8**) | 30 (3.1) | 3 (3.0) | 85 (5.3) | 5 (6.7) | 69 (6.0) |
Career/promotion prospects | 48 (17.9) | 1282 (20.1) | 48 (28.2) | 833 (28.8) | 53 (24.0) | 856 (25.9) |
Self-appraisal | 132 (49.3) | 2927 (45.8) | 119 (58.3) | 1855 (54.8) | 121 (55.0) | 1885 (57.0) |
Advice from others | 25 (9.3**) | 997 (15.6) | 29 (17.2) | 584 (20.2) | 38 (17.2) | 546 (16.5) |
Student experience of subject | 161 (50.6***) | 2590 (37.0) | 71 (39.0***) | 814 (25.6) | 76 (37.4***) | 701 (22.5) |
Particular teacher/department | 90 (33.6**) | 1679 (26.3) | 62 (42.2) | 984 (36.1) | 66 (36.5) | 1028 (38.2) |
Inclinations before medical school | 44 (16.4***) | 501 (7.8) | 39 (21.5***) | 220 (6.9) | 28 (13.9***) | 197 (6.3) |
Experience of jobs so far | 77 (33.0***) | 2794 (51.3) | 113 (55.1) | 1973 (58.5) | 140 (63.6) | 2163 (65.4) |
Enthusiasm/commitment | 183 (64.9*) | 3473 (57.9) | 100 (71.9) | 1540 (69.6) | 136 (81.4) | 2071 (80.1) |
Other reasons | 22 (16.4**) | 249 (9.1) | 14 (14.3) | 263 (18.0) | 24 (26.1) | 268 (23.9) |