Abstract
BackgroundPostgraduate vocational training in family medicine (FM) is essential for physicians to build capacity and develop quality primary care. Inadequate standards in training and curriculum development can contribute to poor recruitment and retention of doctors in primary care. This study aimed to investigate: 1) the satisfaction level of doctors regarding vocational training in family medicine and associated demographics; and 2) the satisfaction level of doctors regarding their family medicine career and associated factors.MethodThis is a cross sectional study of all family medicine physicians across all government-funded primary care clinics (GOPCs). The study questionnaire consisted of items from a standardized and validated physician survey named the Physician Worklife Survey (PWS) (Konrad et al., Med Care, 1999). We selected three scales (7 items) relating to global job satisfaction, global career satisfaction and global specialty (family medicine) satisfaction with additional items on training and demographics. All significant variables in bivariate analyses were further examined using stepwise logistic regression.ResultsOut of 424 eligible family medicine physicians, 368 physicians successfully completed the questionnaire. The response rate was 86.8%. Most participants were male (52.6%), were aged between 35 and 44 years (55.5%), were FM specialists (42.4%), graduated locally (86.2%), and had postgraduate qualifications. Eighty-two percent (82%) of participants were satisfied with their training. Having autonomy and protected time for training were associated with satisfaction with FM training. Satisfaction with family medicine as a career was correlated with physicians’ satisfaction with their current job. Doctors who did not enroll in training (p < 0.001) and physicians who were older (p = 0.023) were significantly less satisfied. Stepwise multivariate regression showed that doctors who subjectively believed their training as “broad and in depth’ had higher career satisfaction (p < 0.001).ConclusionOverall, the satisfaction level of physicians on current family medicine training in Hong Kong was high. Having autonomy and protected time for training is associated with higher training satisfaction levels. Perceiving FM training as “broad and in-depth” is associated with higher family medicine career satisfaction.
Highlights
Postgraduate vocational training in family medicine (FM) is essential for physicians to build capacity and develop quality primary care
Having autonomy and protected time for training were associated with satisfaction with FM training
Stepwise multivariate regression showed that doctors who subjectively believed their training as “broad and in depth’ had higher career satisfaction (p < 0.001)
Summary
Postgraduate vocational training in family medicine (FM) is essential for physicians to build capacity and develop quality primary care. Postgraduate training in family medicine (FM) is essential for physicians to build their capacity and develop quality primary care. Lee et al BMC Family Practice (2019) 20:139 higher training, basic trainees must pass the conjoint examinations organized by HKCFP and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). Doctors with more than 5 years of experience in general practice can still apply for higher training after passing the co-joint examinations, and are not required to complete basic training [2]. Other doctors working in GOPCs include trained family medicine specialists and ‘service doctors’, who do not undergo formal vocational family medicine training
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