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JULY 2003

Reflections of New Physicians

Close to one in four newly trained physicians would select a field other than medicine if they could begin their careers again, according to a survey by Merritt, Hawkins, & Associates, a Dallas-based physician search and consulting firm.

Before they even enter the world of professional practice, many newly trained physicians are wondering why they didn’t chart a different course. The survey has examined the practice preferences and concerns of physicians in their final year of residency training every other year since 1991.

In 2003, 24% of physicians in their final year of training would select a field other than medicine if they could begin their careers again. By contrast, only 5% of physicians responding to the 2001 survey indicated they would select a field other than medicine. Prior to this year, no more than 11% of residents surveyed in any given year have indicated they would select a career other than medicine.

What has changed? The malpractice crisis is a factor contributing to the negativity of newly trained physicians.

In addition, 60% of residents surveyed indicated that dealing with managed care and other payers is a significant cause of concern, up from 25% in 2001. More physicians surveyed in 2003 are concerned about their availability of free time, their level of education debt, and the depth of their medical knowledge than has been the case in the past.

The irony, CEO Hawkins observes, is that the job market for new physicians has never been better. Close to 70% of residents surveyed in 2003 indicated they had received 51 or more job solicitations in the course of their residency training, and over 40% indicated they had received 100 or more job solicitations.

The survey was mailed to 4,800 residents in their final year of training and 350 completed surveys were received.#

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