Doctoral Career Research Articles

Adaptation of Young Doctors to Professional Activity in Outpatient Medical Organizations

Introduction. Currently, there is a challenging issue related to adaptation of young doctors to professional activities in healthcare organizations. The first years of work are considered as of one of the most difficult stages of a doctor's career, and the decision to continue clinical practice or give up it largely depends on this period. This, in turn, is one of the reasons for the increase in staff turnover, which negatively affects the activity of a medical organization and the quality of medical care.Purpose. The purpose of this study was to develop proposals for optimizing the process of adaptation of young doctors to professional activities in medical organizations upon the results of a study identifying fac-tors that positively and negatively affect it.Methods and materials. Within the framework of this study, a questionnaire survey with participation of young doctors aimed at identifying factors affecting the process of adaptation to professional activity was conducted. Also, a social-hygienic image of a young specialist, motivation, reasons for career choice were an-alyzed, as well as the most common challenges emerging at the beginning of career and during the studies were identified, evaluated and compared.Results. Our research allowed us to identify the most important factors influencing the adaptation process such as convenient work schedule; competitive salary; friendly working environment; modern medical equip-ment; image of a medical organization; opportunities for professional training; career growth opportunities; job stability; job independence and responsibility and creative work. The results show that the adaptation of a young doctor to professional activity in healthcare organizations is crucial to keep human and economic resources in balance. The existing programs are not as efficient as expected. Young specialists note that among the difficulties affecting the quality of medical care are such as lack of knowledge and skills required for their job. Moreover, lack of specialized programs for professional training concerning medical information system and legal and regulatory framework in healthcare, as well as lack of psychological support services leads to staff turnover.

Occupational choice, satisfaction and success of PhD graduates in East Asia and the West: A systematic review

AbstractThe globally expanding doctoral education and the diminishing availability of academic job opportunities have prompted an increasing proportion of PhD graduates to seek employment beyond academia, drawing a growing scholarly interest. However, the existing literature on doctoral career pathways tends to be fragmented and dispersed, given the idiosyncratic individual and educational characteristics of doctorates grappling with the complex structural factors. To depict a comprehensive picture of the diversifying employment trajectories of doctorates across various geographical, disciplinary and sectoral contexts, this study conducts a systematic review, scouring 831 pertinent journal articles from the Web of Science. Following a set of inclusion criteria, 31 papers were ultimately selected to identify the key factors shaping employment trajectories of PhD graduates at structural (national supply and demand), institutional (employers' perceptions) and individual (doctorates' characteristics) levels. Drawing on the boundaryless and value‐based career theories, the authors develop a four‐dimension analytical framework, within which the findings of the 31 papers in East Asian and Western contexts are analysed. Overall, stakeholders in Western systems generally recognise the trend of PhD graduates securing non‐academic employment, whereas East Asian nations appear less receptive to this agenda. Meanwhile, due to their strong emphasis on research skills utilisation and employment stability, PhD graduates in certain economies find it challenging to pursue satisfying and successful careers, warranting increased attention. Building on the findings, we propose a four‐quadrat model in an effort to provide a tool for evaluating the capacity to absorb doctoral workforces of specific systems by categorising the doctoral professions. Highlighting shared patterns observed across various higher education systems and distinct trends prevalent in specific economies, this paper addresses key topics in doctoral education and doctorate employment literature such as labour market conditions, employment outcomes, job satisfaction, skills (mis)matches and sustainable careers.

Understanding the relevance of surgical specialties in undergraduate medical education: Insights of graduates.

The relevance of training medical students in surgical specialty services has been a matter of debate in contexts where the health care system focuses on primary health care. Some educators argue that medical students should be trained in primary care settings. Other educators assert that rotating in highly complex hospitals strengthens the competencies of future general practitioners. Nonetheless, little attention has been paid to the added value that rotations in surgical specialties have brought to newly graduated doctors' lives. In this study, we explored the perceptions of a group of graduates by focusing on the relevant experiences they had during their surgical specialty rotations in undergraduate medical training and how this training influenced their personal and professional life. We conducted a qualitative study using a convenience sampling strategy to recruit a total of seven junior doctors. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews in 2022. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data until code saturation was reached. The recurring themes were (1) perception of rotations, (2) valuable learning for medical practice and (3) defining their professional future. Participants felt that their experiences in surgical specialty rotations were beneficial, as they gained confidence to perform professionally and decide on future employment and strengthened their research and primary healthcare competencies. Although training in primary healthcare centres is crucial in undergraduate medical education, these results suggest that including rotations in surgical specialties may be valuable in enhancing the future careers of junior doctors.

Stories of a vocation. A family at the service of health

This article is based on a compilation of the long and esteemed career of doctors from the Quevedo family, all descendants of their main precursor, Dr. José Ignacio Quevedo Amaya. There are seven, and now it can be said eight, generations of family representatives motivated by the same vocation of service, whose results have extended almost worldwide. They have stood out for their intellectual abilities, their commitment to staying updated, and their broad and generous approach to serving human beings who suffer from pain, illness, and physical and/or spiritual suffering. While it is true that modern medicine is not the same as it was in the 19th century, the essence of being a doctor will always be related to an individual vocation and a profound ethics that must be fulfilled completely, despite the passing of time and the emergence of new generations or changes. There are three keywords that all doctors descended from Dr. Quevedo inherit, in order to perform successfully, with competence and dedication to our patients, who are and will always be our reason for being: kindness, wisdom, and respect. With these guidelines, principles, and life examples, the path traced from the beginning by the one whom his peers and contemporaries did not hesitate to call the “priest of charity” and the “father of medicine in Antioquia” will never be lost.

Assessment of Formation of the Doctor’s Priority Personality Orientation Towards Professional Accomplishments

Background. Numerous psychological traits may contribute to the success of a doctor's career, with the priority orientation of an individual towards qualitative and effective solving of professional tasks being among the most important factors.
 Purpose. The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence and to study the determinants of priority orientation of an individual towards qualitative and effective solving of professional tasks among internal medicine physicians of the Tver region.
 Materials and methods. This medical and social study was conducted as a selective single-stage study based on a set of methodological procedures and techniques related to sociological, psychodiagnostic and statistical methods. A representative sample (p < 0,05) included 597 internal medicine physicians working in medical organizations in the Tver region.
 Results. Authors assessed the incidence of the priority orientation towards qualitative and effective solving of professional tasks among internal medicine physicians in general and in certain gender and age groups. We identified 16 significant (p < 0,05) medical, social and psychological factors influencing the formation of this priority orientation of internal medicine physicians’ personality, as well as their significance.
 Conclusions
 1. The prevalence of the priority orientation was observed among 32,9% of internal medicine physicians in the Tver region. Statistical data showed that in men the indicators were significantly higher compared to women of all age.
 2. Medical and social factors of professional environment supported by psychological determinants of professional motivational and value plan greatly influence the shaping the priority orientation of an individual towards qualitative and effective solving of professional tasks among internal medicine physicians.

ROLE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN PREPARING DENTAL STUDENTS

Today, the number of scientific studies related to public health is quite significant and is constantly growing. Research is becoming more interdisciplinary, combining the scientific areas of theoretical and clinical departments. A doctor's research career can develop at several stages of education. Initial scientific interests can be formed at the pre-university level, and then, if interest arises, within the walls of a higher education institution during training and medical research. Students who have the opportunity to conduct research while studying at universities are more likely to obtain a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degree and continue their scientific career. In modern medicine, dentistry is a profession that is based on a solid scientific foundation, and in order to remain viable and modern, it needs to create new knowledge. And this should become an integral component of dental education and continuous clinical practice. Students who plan to dedicate their lives to dentistry should be aware of the latest scientific research achievements and keep abreast of modern knowledge and developments in dentistry. Today, scientific research is the main tool used to create new knowledge. Modern dentistry relies heavily on basic, theoretical and clinical research to provide practitioners with new methods of early diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Today, in higher medical education institutions, most students conduct research in student research groups of their respective departments. It is important to note that during classes in research groups, students actively work with patients, take part in medical manipulations and surgical interventions to expand their clinical knowledge and practical skills. While working in the student research groups of the departments, a significant number of students participate in scientific projects and research works of the departments. The result of this work is the publication of scientific papers, abstracts and articles, and presentations at scientific conferences of students and young scientists. It is important that this deepens the understanding and appreciation of the dental profession by future doctors, and the practitioner is better able to critically evaluate and apply new knowledge in dental practice.

Extreme medical misconduct: 49 UK-registered doctors involved in child pornography, dealt with by the General Medical Council 2012-2020.

Between 1 June 2012 and 31 December 2020, there were 49 cases considered by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service where a doctor's misconduct involved child pornography. The determinations concerning these cases provided the data for analysis. In 47/49 (96%) the regulatory outcome was erasure from the GMC's Medical Register, ending the doctor's career. 12 doctors had been imprisoned for 1 to 20 years, and 19 given suspended prison sentences. In 33/49 (67%) cases the indecent images of children included one or more video recordings. Some of these were of children (including very young infants) being raped, sometimes for prolonged periods, the video recordings sometimes indicating that the child could be seen to be in extreme pain. The high proportion of erasures reflected the gravity of these cases, coupled with the fundamental incompatibility of sexual misconduct involving children with a career in medicine.

Four Career Stories from Doctoral Students to Doctoral Holders: Qualitative Longitudinal Examination

Aims: Universities and their doctoral programs open a range of career opportunities for doctoral students and doctors. There is a need to problematize assumptions related to the construction of doctoral careers. This study addresses this need by examining the development of doctoral career paths and the factors influencing them from a qualitative longitudinal perspective. This study focuses on the narrative career stories of doctoral students and doctoral graduates from a temporal perspective and at the individual level.
 Study Design: The study was conducted as qualitative longitudinal research among Finnish doctoral students and later same persons as doctoral holders (N=9). The aim of the research design was to find out what kind of career paths can be constructed.
 Place and Duration of Study: The research data was collected in Finland between 2009-2018 and analyzed in 2022-2023.
 Methodology: This study focuses on the narrative career stories of doctoral students and doctoral graduates from a temporal perspective and at the individual level. For this study, nine doctoral students were interviewed in 2009 and again in 2018, covering the themes of doctoral studies and careers. The data was analyzed using content analysis and a narrative approach.
 Results: As a result, four narrative doctoral career stories were constructed: Competitive Academic Career, Permanent Lecturer Career, External Proletarian Career and Self-selected Balanced Career. The results suggest that starting points, personal positioning in the doctoral process and structured career opportunities have a significant impact on the dimensions, skills and, ultimately, career prospects of doctoral candidates. This study makes visible the factors involved in the construction of a doctoral career from a holistic and longer-term perspective, allowing for a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the complexity of doctoral careers.

Using social network analysis approach in developing rural psychiatrist workforce

This study examines how rural and remote junior doctors career decisions are influenced by highly connected principles within a discipline. Social network analysis was completed with data collected, by structured interview, with five psychiatry trainees and three early career psychiatrists in a rural location rated MM3 using the Modified Monash Model. UNICET software was used to determine the interactions between individual networks to look for overlap and common influencers. A single central, highly connected, psychiatrist was found at the core of the entire social network. This connector was instrumental in recruitment and retention in rural psychiatry workforce. Improving the understanding of human capital can encourage innovative solutions in developing sustainable strategies for recruiting and retaining rural psychiatry workforces.

Board-certified "hematologist" and "clinical laboratory physician": double jobbing-flow with the tide

The Women Doctors Career Symposium entitled "Dreams: Female Hematologists' Talk" was held at the 84th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Hematology. I would like to share my experience as a board-certified "hematologist" and "clinical laboratory physician." Certified clinical laboratory physician is one of the 19 fundamental areas in the Japanese Medical Specialty board, but the number is small, and it is also an area where hematologists can easily face challenges. It also allows you to balance career advancement and various life events. It is extremely difficult to forge one's own path, but it is relatively simple to take the advice of others and choose one's path. "We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails." This is one way to consider continuing a career.

Public dental care as the dentist’s professional career phase

Оver the last years the national universities undergo intensive changes: organizational, methodological and content-related. In this respect, study of the Russian doctors career is becoming more topical that makes substantial contribution to the national science development. Following the research works of the first half of 2020 year that revealed the dentist professionalization patterns in the residency period, the authors proceeded to a new phase of studying their careers employment. The research question is focused on understanding the role of the public dental care in the dentists professional career. The empiric study base comprises messages and comments to them in Accreditatsiya stomatologov [Dentist accreditation] community of the VKontakte social media platform. This community was founded on 1 June 2016 and has 30,000 followers. The period of studying posts from November 2020 till June 2022. 63 posts total has been examined. Based on P. Bourdieus capital theory, the authors have come to the following conclusions. Dentists, having graduated with a specialists degree, have a cultural capital (educational qualification) and a symbolic capital (diploma). It turns out to be not sufficient to transform two capital forms into an economic capital. It is necessary for professionalization to acquire a social capital (contacts, mentoring) as well as the economic capital (corruption, bribery). Working in the public dental care is contribution to the cultural capital (work anxiety overcoming), but further advancing is required for professionalization that is generally possible to achieve in private clinics.

Vascular Abnormalities in a Pelvic Ectopic Kidney: How a Dissection-Based Program Improves the Knowledge of Clinical Anatomy

AbstractAnatomy is a vital basic science for safe and effective medical practice and its significance increases several folds when it is taught in a clinically relevant manner. In today's time-compressed modern medical curricula, the importance of dissection-based anatomy programs is integral to teaching–learning outcome. Sound anatomical knowledge is critical to safe clinical and surgical practice as it is fundamental to the career of future doctors. In this pictorial essay, we present a case of a left ectopic pelvic kidney during one of the faculty-guided dissection sessions at the Alfaisal University. Such an anomaly motivated students to perform further meticulous dissection and to engage in detailed discussions after identifying associated abnormal findings. It is believed that these practices at the very start of the medical journey of students will effectively enhance their clinical reasoning skills by integrating basic and clinical anatomy.

Exit, voice or neglect: Understanding the choices faced by doctors experiencing barriers to leading health system change through the case of Sierra Leone

This paper presents a study from Sierra Leone that explored the experiences of doctors as they endeavored to improve the health care systems in which they worked. Twenty-eight interviews were conducted with doctors in Sierra Leone, complemented by long-standing experience of national health provision and research by the authors. Drawing on Hirschman's theory of ‘exit, voice and loyalty’, the paper's framework analysis elaborates the doctor's career decisions and choices under systematic political and economic constraints, and in particular, the specter of retribution, including posting to undesirable jobs and withholding of salaries. This retribution was considered a driver of exit by doctors from the system, and few examples were given of doctors successfully advocating for change through advocacy (‘voice’). We suggest that the relevance of Hirschman's theory to this setting is in drawing attention to the critical themes of retribution, opportunity, loyalties, and partial exits, ones often neglected in efforts to reduce emigration of doctors and strengthen their leadership. Ultimately, this paper critiques the overemphasis of mechanistic ‘capacity building’ in global health and recommends that health system strengthening must be viewed as a jointly political as well as technical exercise.

Chinese international doctoral students’ perceptions of publishing: a time–space perspective

ABSTRACT This study draws from the notion of chronotope to explore how time and space play out in the formation of Chinese international doctoral students’ perceptions of publishing. It is contextualised in a New Zealand research-intensive university, using data generated from four participants through online qualitative surveys and one-on-one semi-structured interviews. The findings show that the students perceive doctoral publishing as simultaneously, sometimes contradictorily, a bonus, a necessity and disciplinary engagement in the time–space contexts of doctoral study, academic career and disciplinary community. This study also reveals a contextual and cultural formation of perceptions, which involves constant and dynamic interplay among various normative, cultural and ideological forces in international, national, institutional and personal spheres that are manifested in different material and/or discursive time–space contexts. It concludes that supervisors and students should open up to uncertainties that breed the possibilities for not only misunderstandings but also deep mutual understandings.

Evaluation and Bibliographic Analyses of EdLAM Literature to Help Early Career Academics

According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (OECD, 2018), in almost half of the 38 OECD-member countries, most of the decisions about organization of instruction, personnel management, planning and structures, and resource management are taken at the school level. This study focused on understanding the current body of EdLAM knowledge to help doctoral students and early career researchers plan, run, and publish their studies. The terms “educational administration”, “educational management”, “educational leadership” were used to search the Web of Science database for studies published between 2000 and 2019. The final data set included 1438 articles. Concepts were examined with cooccurrence analysis using the bibliographic analysis tool, VOSViewer. Citation analysis was employed for ascertaining sources of highly cited articles. Results showed that “educational leadership” was the most studied concepts. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, and Educational Management Administration and Leadership were found to be those journals with the highest average yearly influence.

Social lens or inherently social phenomenon? The study of food in Swedish sociology

Sociology’s tendency to branch into applied scientific disciplines is regularly debated. This debate focuses either on the organisation of sociology in academic institutions or on how the content of sociologically informed interdisciplinary research diverges from disciplinary sociology. This article bridges these debates in a study of the sociology of food in Sweden. The aim is to analyse how Swedish food sociology reflects the tension between disciplinary sociology and interdisciplinary research. The data comprise the doctoral dissertations and post-PhD career paths of Swedish sociologists whose dissertations are about food. The article finds that these dissertations treat food either as an inherently social phenomenon or as a social lens (i.e. a social phenomenon viewed as instrumental for analysing something else). Second, it is found that sociologists whose dissertations treated food as an inherently social phenomenon were more likely to pursue careers in food sociology but also to hold affiliations outside of sociology departments. The article concludes that the academic locus of Swedish food sociology is organised outside sociology departments but that its approaches are not necessarily any less sociological. Thus, the analysis questions the basis for arguments that interdisciplinary research represents a threat to the critical and analytical core of sociology.

Postgraduate research students’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and student-led policy solutions

ABSTRACT In response to the rapidly deteriorating pandemic situation, a national lockdown was imposed in March 2020 which had profound effects for students across the UK higher education sector. Given their precarious and isolated position in UK higher education, understanding how the pandemic has affected postgraduate research (PGR) students, relating to their mental wellbeing, social lives, and study experiences is very timely. This article explores the experiences of PGR students during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential policy solutions, drawing on a national online survey on the “Impact of COVID-19 on Doctoral and Early Career Researchers” (N = 3,432), and qualitative data collected from students during the initiation of public lockdown in the United Kingdom (N = 882). Specifically, this article investigates student experiences in five indicators using multilevel modelling: (1) mental wellbeing, (2) loneliness, (3) access to research resources, (4) social connection, and (5) training availability. Primary qualitative data is then used to draw policy solutions from students, who were offered an opportunity to suggest how they might best be supported during the pandemic. In doing so, student-led policy suggestions at both national and institutional levels are provided drawing on the lived experiences and voice of PGR students. The findings demonstrate the need for generalised and specific support combining financial assistance, mental health and pastoral support, communication, and academic study support.

The Academic Profession in Canada

There is little research on the socialization of doctoral students in Canada. Using data collected as part of the Canadian sample of the Academic Professions in the Knowledge Society project, this paper explores the reported doctoral experience of full-time academic faculty in Canadian universities who were ‘successfully’ socialized to the role of scholar, to find potential factors affecting doctoral experience and career progression. This paper suggests that financial and faculty support are key to doctoral success. With disciplinary nuance alive and thriving, many contemporary doctoral students may be subject to unfair disadvantages, which may be of the underlying reasons for high attrition from doctoral programs. Results indicate teaching continues to be an overlooked aspect of doctoral training, in favor of research; the associated faculty support which often accompanies research, along with the potential for funding for the research-related activity, may be a significant factor in socialization.

Peer mentoring in psychiatry: a trainee-led initiative

AimsOur aim was to establish a Peer Mentoring Network within Psychiatry Training in Northern Ireland.Recognising that starting a new job can be a stressful time in any junior doctor's career, we wanted to ensure that new Core Trainees (CT1s) joining our Specialty Programme were well supported through this transition.Although Clinical and Educational Supervision is well established in providing a support structure for trainees, we believed that a peer mentoring relationship, (with allocation of a Higher Psychiatry Trainee as mentor), would be of additional benefit.It was hoped that the scheme would prove mutually beneficial to both mentee and mentor.MethodWe delivered a presentation at CT1 induction and sent out follow-up emails to encourage participation. Higher trainees were also sent information via email and asked to complete a basic application form if interested in becoming a mentor. Prospective mentors then attended a one-day training session.Two lead mentors, (also higher trainees), were allocated to oversee the scheme, with additional supervision from two lead Consultants. Mentor-Mentee matches were made based on information such as location, sub-specialty affiliations and outside interests.Matched pairs were advised about the intended frequency and nature of contacts. Check-in emails were sent halfway through the year and feedback evaluations completed at the end.Result95% of trainees who completed the evaluations said they would recommend the scheme to colleagues.Mentees reported benefits in terms of personal and professional development, whilst mentors reported improved listening, coaching, and supervisory skills.A small number of trainees highlighted that 6 monthly rotations impacted on ability to maintain face to face contacts.Recruitment and engagement have improved annually. We are currently running the third year of the scheme and have achieved 100% uptake amongst CT1s and are over-subscribed with mentors, (19 mentors to 13 mentees).ConclusionThe majority of feedback received has been positive and interest in the scheme continues to grow.Potential issues relating to location of postings has been overcome, at least in part, by recent changes to ways of working and the use of alternative forms of contact, such as video calling.Having exceeded demand in terms of mentor recruitment, we hope to extend the scheme to include trainees of other grades, and particularly those who are new to Northern Ireland.We are excited to see where the next stage of our journey takes us and hope that others will be inspired to embark on similar schemes within their areas of work.

Don’t count them out: PhD skills development and careers in industry

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify what skills gained during PhD study are linked with preparation and differences between industry and academic positions. Design/methodology/approach Using student-level data from nearly 2,400 early career PhD alumni from 50 US PhD granting institutions, this study uses a generalized ordered logit model with partial proportional odds to test the main and conditional effects of 14 areas of skill development on perceptions of career preparation. Findings This study contributes empirical evidence to show that research skills and communicating with non-technical audiences are positively linked with job preparation. Practical implications The combination of sophisticated research and noncognitive skills promotes the idea of a well-rounded PhD – a highly skilled and versatile researcher that can interact in both academic and industry settings – as a goal of doctoral education. The knowledge gained from this study will assist scholars and graduate educators, including faculty advisors, program directors, graduate deans, graduate education professionals and career development professionals to reconceptualize professional preparation for work in industry. Social implications For-profit businesses, particularly start-up companies, are vital for economic development and many require PhD-level employees across research and management roles. Developing PhDs with the appropriate skills for industry will better align higher education and economic interests. Originality/value The wide scope of doctoral institutions allows for a quantitative approach not appropriate for single-institution case studies of doctoral career pathways research.