title: Career satisfaction of surgical specialties.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the factors that impact career satisfaction for various surgical specialties.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  An acute shortage of surgeons is anticipated in the future. Career dissatisfaction can make this already difficult situation worse. It is important to understand and address factors that influence career satisfaction of surgeons to prolong tenure of existing surgeons and understand anticipated needs of future surgeons.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Center for Studying Health System Change 2008 Health Tracking Physician Survey data were used in this study. Regression analysis was done to examine the impact of various practice-related factors, compensation-related factors, practice location, extent of minority patient, and various demographics on career satisfaction of various surgical specialties (n = 762).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among practice related factors, although threat of malpractice had a significant negative impact on career satisfaction, ability to provide quality care to patients and time with patients had a significant positive impact on career satisfaction of surgical specialists. Among compensation related factors, income and financial incentives to expand services had a significant positive impact on career satisfaction. Among practice location factors, those who primarily worked in medical schools were significantly more satisfied with their careers than others. Among minority factors, those treating a large proportion of Hispanic patients were significantly less likely to be satisfied with their careers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ability to provide quality care, time with patients, income, and financial incentives had a significant positive impact on career satisfaction. Similarly, threat of malpractice and high proportion of Hispanic patients had a negative impact on career satisfaction.
authors: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5429. Email: satish.deshpande@wmich.edu
authors: Satish P
authors: SP
authors: Deshpande
authors: Sagar S
authors: SS
authors: Deshpande
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002321:Career Choice; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D012737:Sex Factors; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017749:Total Quality Management; D014481:United States