Why geriatric medicine? A survey of UK specialist trainees in geriatric medicine

Fisher, James M., Garside, Mark J., Brock, Peter, Gibson, Vicky, Hunt, Kelly K., Briggs, Sally and Gordon, Adam L. (2017) Why geriatric medicine? A survey of UK specialist trainees in geriatric medicine. Age and Ageing, 46 (4). pp. 672-677. ISSN 1468-2834

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Abstract

Background: There is global concern that there are insufficient numbers of geriatricians to meet the needs of the ageing population. A 2005 survey described factors that influenced why UK geriatricians had chosen to specialise in the field - in the decade since, UK postgraduate training has undergone a fundamental restructure.

Objective: To explore whether the reasons for choosing a career in geriatric medicine in the UK had changed over time, with the goal of using this knowledge to inform recruitment and training initiatives.

Design: An online survey was sent to all UK higher medical trainees in geriatric medicine.

Methods: Survey questions that produced categorical data were analysed with simple descriptive statistics. For the survey questions that produced free-text responses, an inductive, iterative approach to analysis, in keeping with the principles of framework analysis, was employed.

Results: 269 responses were received out of 641 eligible respondents. Compared with the previous survey, a substantially larger number of respondents regarded geriatric medicine to be their first-choice specialty and a smaller number regretted their career decision. A greater number chose geriatric medicine early in their medical careers. Commitments to the general medical rota and the burden of service provision were considered important downsides to the specialty.

Conclusions: There are reasons to be optimistic about recruitment to geriatric medicine. Future attempts to drive up recruitment might legitimately focus on the role of the medical registrar and perceptions that geriatricians shoulder a disproportionate burden of service commitments and obligations to the acute medical take.

Item Type: Article
RIS ID: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/869555
Additional Information: This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Age and Ageing following peer review. The version of record, James Michael Fisher, Mark J. Garside, Peter Brock, Vicky Gibson, Kelly Hunt, Sally Briggs, Adam Lee Gordon; Why geriatric medicine? A survey of UK specialist trainees in geriatric medicine, Age and Ageing, Volume 46, Issue 4, 1 July 2017, Pages 672–677, https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afx009 is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/ageing/afx009 and doi: 10.1093/ageing/afx009.
Schools/Departments: University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Medicine > Division of Rehabilitation and Ageing
University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Medicine > Division of Medical Sciences and Graduate Entry Medicine
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afx009
Depositing User: Gordon, Adam
Date Deposited: 20 Dec 2016 14:45
Last Modified: 04 May 2020 18:52
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/39459

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