creators_name: Scott, JR creators_name: Gunderson, CA type: journale datestamp: 2003-09-19 lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:55:20 metadata_visibility: show title: A Study of Prospective Ophthalmology Residents’ Career Perceptions ispublished: pub subjects: meo-peer full_text_status: public keywords: resident career perceptions; ophthalmology career satisfaction; ethics/professionalism abstract: Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify differences in ophthalmology resident candidates and practicing ophthalmologists’ career perceptions. A secondary aim was to evaluate specific demographic factors (e.g., gender, ethnicity, career interests, etc.) among residency candidates regarding their career perceptions. Methods: A survey instrument (Critical factors in Career Perceptions) was sent by e-mail to prospective residents (n= 122). Group differences were calculated using a one sample t-test analysis. Results: Compared to practicing ophthalmologists (n = 56), residency candidates were more likely (p < 0.05) to expect greater professional job satisfaction from a number of career factors (e.g., time with patients, physician teamwork, etc.); family-personal factors (e.g., diversity of job skills, sole professional responsibility, etc.); and financial factors (i.e., income and security) than those in practice. Gender differences between candidates revealed that women were more interested in spending time with patients and in computer technology applications. Conclusions: These results suggest that medical school and residency program leaders to consider specific factors ophthalmologists encounter in their profession so that residency candidates have a more realistic view of their chosen profession. Several recommendations for resident recruitment and curriculum development are provided. date: 2003-08 date_type: published publication: Medical Education Online volume: 8 number: 9 refereed: TRUE referencetext: 1. Pankratz MJ, Helveston EM. Ophthalmology: The resident’s perspective. Arch Ophthalmol 1992 110:37-43. 2. Kay LE, D’Amico F. Factors influencing satisfaction for family practice residency faculty. Fam Med 1999 31 (6): 409-14. 3. Weaver SP, Mills TL, Passmore C. Job satisfaction of family practice residents. Fam Med 2001 33 (9): 678-82 4. Debas H. Surgery: A noble profession in a changing world. Ann Surg 2002 236 (3) 263-9. 5. Gabram SG, Hoenig J, Schroedeer JW Jr., Mansour A, Gamelli R. What are the primary concerns of recently graduated surgeons and how do they differ from those of the residency training years? Arch Surg 2001 136 (10): 1109-14. 6. Brian RS. Women in medicine. Amer Fam Physician 2001 64 (1):174-7. 7. Bergus GR, Randall CS, Winniford MD, Mueller CW, Johnson SR. Job satisfaction and workplace characteristics of primary and specialty care physicians at a bimodal medical school. Acad Med 2001 76 (11): 1148-52. 8. Mayer, KL, Perez RV, Hung SH. Factors affecting choice of surgical residency training programs; J of Surg Res 2001 98: 71-75 9. Xu G, Rattner SL, Veloski J, Hojat M, Fields SK, Barzansky B. (1995) A national study of the factors influencing men and women physician’s choices of primary care specialties. J Acad Med 1995 70 (5): 398-404. 10. Commonwealth Fund Report. Training tomorrow’s doctors: The medical education mission of academic health centers. A Report of the Commonwealth Fund, New York; 2002. citation: Scott , EdD, MPH, JR and Gunderson , MD, CA (2003) A Study of Prospective Ophthalmology Residents’ Career Perceptions. [Journal (On-line/Unpaginated)] document_url: http://cogprints.org/3140/1/res00064.pdf