Almost one-third of new physicians said they would choose a different field if they had to it over again, according to a new survey by the recruitment firm, Merritt Hawkins.
Residents were asked if they would study medicine again if they had their education to do over or if they would select another field. While the majority (71%) said they would choose medicine, a significant minority (29%) said they would choose another field—up from 18% in 2008.
When asked to rate those factors causing them most concern as they prepare to enter their first professional practice, the following were the top five things listed as “most concerning”:
Availability of free time (48%)
Dealing with payers (42%)
Earning a good income (41%)
Malpractice (40%)
Health reform (39%)
“With declining reimbursement, increasing costs, malpractice worries, and the uncertainty of health reform, it is not surprising that many newly trained doctors are concerned about what awaits them,” company representatives said in a press release.
Physician’s Weekly wants to know…if you had to do it over again, would you choose a different field considering the current environment of the medical profession?
