Why geriatric medicine? A survey of UK specialist trainees in geriatric medicine.
there is concern that there are insufficient numbers of geriatricians to meet the needs of the ageing population. A 2005 survey described factors that influenced why UK geriatricians had chosen to specialise in the field-in the decade since, UK postgraduate training has undergone a fundamental restructure.



to explore whether the reasons for choosing a career in geriatric medicine in the UK had changed over time, with the goal of using this knowledge to inform recruitment and training initiatives.



an online survey was sent to all UK higher medical trainees in geriatric medicine.



survey questions that produced categorical data were analysed with simple descriptive statistics. For the survey questions that produced free-text responses, an inductive, iterative approach to analysis, in keeping with the principles of framework analysis, was employed.



two hundred and sixty-nine responses were received out of 641 eligible respondents. Compared with the previous survey, a substantially larger number of respondents regarded geriatric medicine to be their first-choice specialty and a smaller number regretted their career decision. A greater number chose geriatric medicine early in their medical careers. Commitments to the general medical rota and the burden of service provision were considered important downsides to the specialty.



there are reasons to be optimistic about recruitment to geriatric medicine. Future attempts to drive up recruitment might legitimately focus on the role of the medical registrar and perceptions that geriatricians shoulder a disproportionate burden of service commitments and obligations to the acute medical take.
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, North Shields, UK.
James Michael
JM
Fisher
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, North Shields, UK.
Mark J
MJ
Garside
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, North Shields, UK.
Peter
P
Brock
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, North Shields, UK.
Vicky
V
Gibson
Department of Medicine, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Kelly
K
Hunt
University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
Sally
S
Briggs
Division of Medical Sciences and Graduate Entry Medicine, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK.|School of Health Sciences, City University, London, UK.
Adam Lee
AL
Gordon
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004644:Emotions; D000072219:Geriatricians / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom
careers; geriatric medicine; medical registrar; older people; postgraduate training; specialist training