Recruiting for success--the potential for using occupational personality questionnaires for the assessment of doctors.
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate the Saville and Holdsworth Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ) to assess its potential and validity as a tool in the recruitment of doctors. To determine the range of personality characteristics in a group of general practitioners.


METHODS
an administered commercially available questionnaire.


METHODS
general practitioners in North and Mid. Stafftordshire.


METHODS
133 general practitioners or trainees.


RESULTS
44% of general practitioners agreed to participate. The majority found it useful and recognised its potential to increase self-awareness, highlight weaknesses that might be improved and for future recruitment of others to their teams. Doctors' personality traits were similar to those of managerial/professional norms. The validity of the OPQ was supported by (a) significant associations with subjects' previously reported mental health problems and (b) 83% of respondents confirming that their reports correctly described their personalities at work.


CONCLUSIONS
OPQs have a place in the recruitment of doctors by identifying appropriate people to strengthen the team.
Chambers
R
R
School of Postgraduate Medicine, University of Keele, Stoke-on-Trent.
Wright
D
D
Taylor
H
H
D004739:England; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D010551:Personality; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000379:methods*; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires