title: Perceived future career prospects in general practice: quantitative results from questionnaire surveys of UK doctors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are more studies of current job satisfaction among GPs than of their views about their future career prospects, although both are relevant to commitment to careers in general practice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report on the views of GPs compared with clinicians in other specialties about their future career prospects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire surveys were sent to UK medical doctors who graduated in selected years between 1974 and 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were sent to the doctors at different times after graduation, ranging from 3 to 24 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on the latest survey of each graduation year of the 20 940 responders, 66.2% of GPs and 74.2% of hospital doctors were positive about their prospects and 9.7% and 8.3%, respectively, were negative. However, with increasing time since graduation and increasing levels of seniority, GPs became less positive about their prospects; by contrast, over time, surgeons became more positive. Three to 5 years after graduation, 86.3% of those training in general practice were positive about their prospects compared with 52.9% of surgical trainees: in surveys conducted 12-24 years after graduation, 60.2% of GPs and 76.6% of surgeons were positive about their prospects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GPs held broadly positive views of their career prospects, as did other doctors. However, there was an increase in negativity with increasing time since graduation that was not seen in hospital doctors. Research into the causes of this negativity and policy measures to ameliorate it would contribute to the continued commitment of GPs and may help to reduce attrition.
authors: UK Medical Careers Research Group, Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford.
authors: Trevor W
authors: TW
authors: Lambert
authors: UK Medical Careers Research Group, Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford.
authors: Fay
authors: F
authors: Smith
authors: UK Medical Careers Research Group, Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford.
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Goldacre
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D002322:Career Mobility; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D010558:Personnel Loyalty; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: career choice; general practice; job satisfaction; primary care; secondary care