Factors influencing the departure of non-consultant hospital doctors from Christchurch, New Zealand.
OBJECTIVE
Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB), which employs 425 junior medical staff, aimed to provide information about the number of non-consultant hospital doctors (RMOs) leaving its employ over a 12-month period; the reasons for their departure; their evaluations of work experience in Canterbury; and the attractions of their new positions.


METHODS
CDHB's Resident Medical Officers (RMO) Unit--which recruits non-consultant medical officers and manages their contracts--maintains a database from which RMO staff that terminated their contracts between 1 October 2005 and 30 September 2006 were identified. Complete demographic information about these individuals was derived from the database. The numbers leaving, as assessed from the database, were confirmed from independent payroll information. Two weeks before their contract with the CDHB ends, all departing RMOs are invited to respond anonymously to an exit questionnaire which seeks feedback about their experience of working in Canterbury, and information about the reason for leaving.


RESULTS
190 (or approximately 45% of the 425 RMOs in CDHB) left over the study period; most terminations occurred in November/December. 103 leavers were from the United Kingdom or Ireland and these doctors worked for an average of 11 months. 53 New Zealand graduates terminated employment after an average of 28 months work while 8 foreign-trained Registration Examination (NZREX) graduates vacated after an average stay of 37 months. Completed surveys were obtained from 159 out of 190 (84%) departing RMOs. The Internet was the most frequently reported method used by respondents to find a new job. Most often the reasons for leaving related to factors outside of the organisation's control such as career development or travel. The leavers were generally highly satisfied with the workplace (reporting high levels of satisfaction with senior staff and other colleagues in particular), but some RMOs reported discontent at receiving lower levels of education and feedback than expected.


CONCLUSIONS
CDHB employs a large number of junior medical staff and a significant number leave each year. Information obtained from sources such as exit surveys can provide important information for the institutions responsible for the training and employment of junior doctors.
Morton
John
J
Resident Medical Officers Unit, Canterbury District Health Board, Private Bag 4710, Christchurch, New Zealand. John.Morton@cdhb.govt.nz
Hider
Phil
P
Schaab
Karen
K
D002322:Career Mobility; D005550:Foreign Medical Graduates / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009520:New Zealand; D010560:Personnel Selection; D010563:Personnel Turnover / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel; D016526:Workload