Abstract
BackgroundThis paper addresses the problem of wastage of the qualified labor force, which takes place both during the education process and when trained personnel try to find jobs in the local market.MethodsSecondary sources were used, mainly the Statistical yearbooks of the National Association of Universities and Higher Education Institutions (ANUIES in Spanish). Also, the 2000 Population Census was used to estimate the different sources of labor market wastage. The formulas were modified to estimate educational and labor wastage rates.ResultsOut of every 1000 students who started a medical training in 1996, over 20% were not able to finish the training by 2000. Furthermore, out of every 1000 graduates, 31% were not able to find a remunerated position in the labor market that would enable them to put into practice the abilities and capacities obtained at school. Important differences can be observed between generalists and specialists, as well as between men and women. In the case of specialists and men, lower wastage rates can be observed as compared to the wastage rates of generalists and women. A large percentage of women dedicate themselves exclusively to household duties, which in labor terms represents a wastage of their capacity to participate in the production of formal health services.ConclusionWomen are becoming a majority in most medical schools, yet their participation in the labor market does not reflect the same trend. Among men, policies should be formulated to incorporate doctors in the specific health field for which they were trained. Regarding women, specific policies should target those who are dedicated full-time to household activities in order to create the possibility of having them occupy a remunerated job if they are willing to do so. Reducing wastage at both the educational and labor levels should improve the capacity of social investment, thereby increasing the capacity of the health system as a whole to provide services, particularly to those populations who are most in need.
Highlights
The medical workforce has been studied from diverse points of view by means of a wide variety of methodologies and at varying levels of depth
Women are becoming a majority in most medical schools, yet their participation in the labor market does not reflect the same trend
As part of the conceptual and methodological definitions of the present work we propose to estimate the rate of wastage among doctors, which would incorporate all those conditions in which a graduate from a medical school does not put into practice the knowledge gained from the school for the production of health services
Summary
The medical workforce has been studied from diverse points of view by means of a wide variety of methodologies and at varying levels of depth. Doctors are being educated in schools that provide them with a professional degree; in spite of this, they will eventually face difficulties in finding a job. This problem is related to the qualified labor force wastage, as well as to the specific market configuration. There is another source of wastage that takes place during the education process and is reflected in the demand for medical education, the number of dropouts, the final efficiency rates at a national level and the organization and location of medical schools [2]. This paper addresses the problem of wastage of the qualified labor force, which takes place both during the education process and when trained personnel try to find jobs in the local market
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