Change the culture and reduce the burden, or risk losing doctors in training
A survey of doctors in training shows governments and healthcare leaders must do more to solve issues relating to overwork, bullying, and examination feedback, or risk losing trainees from pursuing a career in healthcare.
There were some concerning results out of this year’s Medical Training Survey, demonstrating just how important it is for governments to think about how to retain trainees in healthcare.
While the medical training system continues to perform well in terms of the quality of supervision, as well as education and patient safety training, there are still some alarming results from this year’s survey.
In a media statement, AMA Council of Doctors in Training Chair Dr Hannah Szewczyk, said the results of the survey and the implications for the future of Australia’s healthcare were concerning.
"It's alarming to see that 19 per cent of doctors in training are considering a career outside of medicine,” Dr Szewczyk said.
“This is similar to last year's results and is extremely concerning. It means that doctors who have been training for years and working hard to advance their careers are choosing to leave medicine, which will further contribute to a health system already under strain.”
The survey showed trainee doctors were suffering from the burden of heavy workloads, problems in workplace culture — including bullying, harassment, and discrimination — and a higher level of dissatisfaction with examination feedback.
Of particular concern in the survey are reports of increased incidences of bullying, discrimination and harassment faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees, with one in two reporting that they experienced or witnessing these incidents.
The link between the wellbeing of healthcare staff and patient care is well known. Patients deserve to know they are in the hands of healthcare workers who are supported and enabled to provide the best care possible.
AMA President Professor Steve Robson said many of the issues in the survey were a result of the overall logjam in our hospital system.
“Governments across the country need to better fund healthcare and show our workforce that Australia values them and wants to provide the necessary resources to ensure they can perform at their best.”
