Using questionnaires to determine whether medical graduates' career choice is determined by undergraduate or postgraduate experiences

Abstract

Background: There has been increased interest in the factors influencing the career choice of doctors. Feminization of the medical workforce, changing health care needs, reform of training has ensured that this is an important issue for workforce planners and educationists.

Aims and methods: Questionnaires were distributed to graduates from the University of Liverpool 5 years post graduation requesting the most important influences on career choice.

Results and conclusions: The majority of graduates felt their career choice was primarily dictated by their postgraduate experience. Graduates chose their career pathway for a number of reasons including specialties that would secure home-work balance, disenchantment with training programmes, and work experiences post graduation rather than their undergraduate clinical attachments.