Factors influencing female doctors’ career decisions at Tshwane District Hospital, Pretoria

Abstract

Introduction: Most doctors at Tshwane District Hospital in Pretoria are women who experience difficulty combining a career with family responsibilities because of lack of flexitime or part-time posts. They are also frustrated by the hospital management’s apparent indifference to their concerns. Consequently, female doctors tend to leave Tshwane District to pursue their careers elsewhere. This study explored factors that influence the career choices of female doctors at Tshwane District Hospital in Pretoria.Method: Of sixty-two doctors working at Tshwane District Hospital in Pretoria between January 2008 and July 2011, 47 were traced, and 28 completed a four-part, self-administered questionnaire constructed round eight themes that emerged from a focus group discussion involving six female doctors. Questions on levels of burnout and job satisfaction, based on existing validated questionnaires, were included. Of the 28 doctors who completed the questionnaire, 19 were female and nine male. The median age grou...