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A qualitative analysis of career transitions made by internal medicine-pediatrics residency training graduates.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Burns, H; Auvergne, L; Haynes-Maslow, LE; Liles, EA; Perrin, EM; Steiner, MJ
Published in: N C Med J
2011

BACKGROUND: Physicians who complete combined residency training in internal medicine and pediatrics (med-peds) have a variety of career options after training. Little is known about career transitions among this group or among other broadly trained physicians. METHODS: To better understand these career transitions, we conducted semistructured, in-depth, telephone interviews of graduates of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Medicine med-peds program who self-identified as having had a career transition since completing training. We qualitatively analyzed interview transcripts, to develop themes describing their career transitions. RESULTS: Of 106 physicians who graduated during 1980-2007, 20 participated in interviews. Participants identified factors such as personality, work environment, lifestyle, family, and finances as important to career transition. Five other themes emerged from the data; the following 4 were confirmed by follow-up interviews: (1) experiences during residency were not sufficient to predict future job satisfaction; work after the completion of training was necessary to discover career preferences; (2) a major factor motivating job change was a perceived lack of control in the workplace; (3) participants described a sense of regret if they did not continue to see both adult and pediatric patients as a result of their career change; (4) participants appreciated their broad training and, regardless of career path, would choose to pursue combined residency training again. LIMITATIONS: We included only a small number of graduates from a single institution. We did not interview graduates who had no career transitions after training. CONCLUSIONS: There are many professional opportunities for physicians trained in med-peds. Four consistent themes surfaced during interviews about med-peds career transitions. Future research should explore how to use these themes to help physicians make career choices and employers retain physicians.

Duke Scholars

Published In

N C Med J

ISSN

0029-2559

Publication Date

2011

Volume

72

Issue

3

Start / End Page

191 / 195

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Workplace
  • Workforce
  • Salaries and Fringe Benefits
  • Pediatrics
  • North Carolina
  • Motivation
  • Male
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Internship and Residency
 

Citation

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Burns, H., Auvergne, L., Haynes-Maslow, L. E., Liles, E. A., Perrin, E. M., & Steiner, M. J. (2011). A qualitative analysis of career transitions made by internal medicine-pediatrics residency training graduates. N C Med J, 72(3), 191–195.
Burns, Harriett, Lauriane Auvergne, Lindsey E. Haynes-Maslow, E Allen Liles, Eliana M. Perrin, and Michael J. Steiner. “A qualitative analysis of career transitions made by internal medicine-pediatrics residency training graduates.N C Med J 72, no. 3 (2011): 191–95.
Burns H, Auvergne L, Haynes-Maslow LE, Liles EA, Perrin EM, Steiner MJ. A qualitative analysis of career transitions made by internal medicine-pediatrics residency training graduates. N C Med J. 2011;72(3):191–5.
Burns, Harriett, et al. “A qualitative analysis of career transitions made by internal medicine-pediatrics residency training graduates.N C Med J, vol. 72, no. 3, 2011, pp. 191–95.
Burns H, Auvergne L, Haynes-Maslow LE, Liles EA, Perrin EM, Steiner MJ. A qualitative analysis of career transitions made by internal medicine-pediatrics residency training graduates. N C Med J. 2011;72(3):191–195.

Published In

N C Med J

ISSN

0029-2559

Publication Date

2011

Volume

72

Issue

3

Start / End Page

191 / 195

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Workplace
  • Workforce
  • Salaries and Fringe Benefits
  • Pediatrics
  • North Carolina
  • Motivation
  • Male
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Internship and Residency