More than half of doctors advise their children against studying medicine, according to a survey. The end of the myth of the doctor from father to son.
Staff shortages, work overload, growing administrative constraints, or worse burn-out, the list of ailments for doctors is long in 2016. But despite these difficult working conditions, medical studies still attract as many students. Does this mean that practitioners always recommend that the youngest follow their path? This is the question the site answers SwapUnDoc.com, specializing in replacing doctors in France.
In a study, carried out among 275 doctors (1), the authors conclude that “after studies considered interesting”, only a minority of the questioned doctors (22, 8%) recommend without hesitation the choice of this course.
More than 1 in 2 doctors would discourage their children
At the same time, there are many (37.3%) who “frankly” advise against choosing these studies. In addition, 18.3% of them would recommend them to others, but would advise against them to their children. Important precision, the results observed are the same, whatever the specialty observed. General practitioner or specialist, same fight …
The reason for this disenchantment? Beyond the lack of recognition of patients, policies, studies are considered “so difficult”, for 80% of respondents. We can thus observe that even before the end of the day school, they are already 25% to dissuade the youngest. Too long, too expensive, are words that keep coming back. In this panel, the only enthusiastic professionals seem to be the externs questioned, they are, it is true, 38% to promote, without hesitation, their choice of studies. Perhaps a ray of hope for worried patients reading these figures.
These results seem to spell the end of the myth of the doctor from father to son, since in the end, once the data have been cross-checked, a clear majority of them (55.6%) would discourage the choice of medical studies for their children. “Will the desire to care for one’s neighbor be enough to motivate future generations to undertake this long journey? », Asks TrocUnDoc. The answer may be in a future survey …
(1) The sample is mainly represented by general practitioners (71.3%)
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