[Future family physicians - reasons for their specialty choice and crucial professional skills].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to investigate the motivation of young physicians to work in family medicine/general practice and the skills to be acquired during residency.


METHODS
As part of a prospective study on career determinants in young physicians starting in 2001, 84 future family physicians at the end of their residency were asked about their motivation for specialty choice and about core competencies in general practice. Content analysis was applied to assign the answers given to open questions to inductively defined categories.


RESULTS
The 254 answers concerning the motivation for specialty choice of general medicine or general internal medicine, and the 375 answers concerning core competencies of a family physician were assigned to eleven categories. The most frequently named motives fall into the categories <<independence>>, <<broad spectrum of patients and diseases>>, <<long-term care>>, <<variety of medical practice>> and <<physician-patient-relationship>>. The most frequently named core competencies fall into the categories <<economic, health economic and insurance related competencies>>, <<broad medical knowledge>> and <<social competence>>.


CONCLUSIONS
Motivation for working in general practice and the core competencies to be acquired stand for a patient centered conception of the medical profession. They also imply personal responsibility and latitude in medical practice.
Hasler
L B
LB
Psychosoziale Medizin, Universitätsspital Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Stamm
M
M
Buddeberg-Fischer
B
B
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce