title: Career decisions: factors that influence the Māori doctor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Māori have known health disparities that may be addressed through increasing the cultural competency of New Zealand's medical workforce. There is a paucity of Māori health professionals choosing paediatrics or adult medicine as a career and the factors influencing their career decision are yet to be explored.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  First, to differentiate factors influencing the medical career choice of non-Māori paediatricians and physicians, Māori paediatricians and physicians and other Māori doctors. Second, to identify ways in which Māori doctors may be encouraged to choose paediatricians or adult medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was distributed by email to New Zealand physicians and paediatricians and to Māori doctors. Questions included demographic information, a matrix rating table and open-ended questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Altogether 199 people accessed the questionnaire. Response rates were 9% (n = 118) for non-Māori paediatricians and physicians, 70% (n = 19) for Māori paediatricians and physicians, and 31% (n = 62) for other Māori doctors. Māori paediatricians and physicians highlighted mentoring as having significant impact on career choice. Non-Māori paediatricians and physicians regarded interest as having the most influence on career choice (P < 0.01). Lifestyle factors influenced other Māori doctors (P < 0.001). All three groups regarded poor lifestyle as having the largest negative influence. No group regarded potential income as important.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mentoring provides an opportunity to attract Māori into paediatric and adult physician training. The use of existing mentoring programmes could facilitate in expanding Māori RACP workforce development. This extended Māori workforce would have benefits for the health of New Zealand as a whole.
authors.affiliation: Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Edmonds
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel / Q000208:ethnology*; D002321:Career Choice; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D008511:Medicine; D008611:Mentors; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D010372:Pediatrics; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000523:psychology; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Māori; RACP; Te Ora; career; medicine; paediatrics