Gender shift in realisation of preferred type of GP practice: longitudinal survey over the last 25 years.
BACKGROUND
An increasing number of newly trained Dutch GPs prefer to work in a group practice and as a non-principal rather than in a single-handed practice. In view of the greater number of female doctors, changing practice preferences, and discussions on future workforce problems, the question is whether male and female GPs were able to realise their initial preferences in the past and will be able to do so in the future.


METHODS
We have conducted longitudinal cohort study of all GPs in the Netherlands seeking a practice between 1980 and 2004. The Netherlands Institute of Health Services Research (NIVEL) in Utrecht collected the data used in this study by means of a postal questionnaire. The overall mean response rate was 94%.


RESULTS
Over the past 20 years, an increasing proportion of GPs, both male and female, were able to achieve their preference for working in a group practice and/or in a non-principal position. Relatively more women than men have settled in group practices, and more men than women in single-handed practices; however, the practice preference of men and women is beginning to converge. Dropout was highest among the GPs without any specific practice preference.


CONCLUSIONS
The overwhelming preference of male and female GPs for working in group practices is apparently being met by the number of positions (principal or non-principal) available in group practices. The preference of male and female GPs regarding the type of practice and job conditions is expected to converge further in the near future.
Maiorova
Tanja
T
Institute of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands. t.maiorova@zw.unimaas.nl
Stevens
Fred
F
van der Velden
Lud
L
Scherpbier
Albert
A
van der Zee
Jouke
J
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006123:Group Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000523:psychology*; D011331:Private Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011364:Professional Practice; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires