Table 6 Percentages of doctors whose first choice of long-term career was for ophthalmology and other careers, who specified each factor as influencing their choice of long-term career a great deal: graduates of 1993–2002
From: Career choices for ophthalmology made by newly qualified doctors in the United Kingdom, 1974–2005
First choice of long-term career | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Factor influencing career choice 'a great deal' | Ophthal mology | Other surgery | Other careers excluding GP | GP |
% (n) | % (n) | % (n) | % (n) | |
Year One | ||||
Domestic circumstances | 15.5 (46) | 7.9(189) | 13.7 (986) | 37.7(1319) |
Hours/working conditions | 60.7 (181) | 17.4(414) | 35.2(2546) | 73.7(2597) |
Future financial prospects | 29.4 (87) | 19.0(453) | 10.1(728) | 15.7(552) |
Career & promotion prospects | 28.6 (85) | 26.8 (639) | 25.0 (1803) | 16.5(580) |
Self-appraisal of own skills/aptitudes | 42.1 (125) | 50.9 (1212) | 49.7 (3582) | 46.3 (1625) |
Advice from others | 29.4 (87) | 16.2(383) | 16.6(1199) | 16.3(570) |
Experience of chosen subject as a student | 47.5 (141) | 49.7 (1187) | 46.1 (3336) | 36.9(1296) |
†A particular teacher/department | 28.5 (84) | 38.3 (914) | 29.6 (2135) | 13.4(469) |
Inclinations before medical school | 11.1 (33) | 16.8 (401) | 13.7 (992) | 14.8 (519) |
Experience of jobs so far | 33.4 (99) | 62.1(1483) | 50.8(3678) | 48.4(1703) |
Enthusiasm/commitment: what I really want to do | 69.5 (205) | 75.1 (1789) | 65.0 (4661) | 59.2 (2070) |
Year Three | ||||
Domestic circumstances | 20.6 (26) | 10.5 (103) | 17.6 (718) | 48.8(1073) |
Hours/working conditions | 66.4 (85) | 23.0(226) | 39.5(1619) | 81.7(1815) |
Future financial prospects | 25.2 (32) | 19.6 (193) | 8.9(364) | 22.7 (502) |
Career & promotion prospects | 16.5 (21) | 26.4 (260) | 24.4 (998) | 22.8 (502) |
Self-appraisal of own skills/aptitudes | 47.7 (61) | 48.2 (471) | 51.9 (2121) | 50.0 (1102) |
Advice from others | 24.6 (31) | 17.9 (175) | 16.5 (671) | 16.6 (366) |
Experience of chosen subject as a student | 40.6 (52) | 29.0 (286) | 26.3(1076) | 20.8(459) |
†A particular teacher/department | 25.0 (21) | 38.7 (244) | 30.3 (797) | 11.1(159) |
Inclinations before medical school | 19.5 (25) | 14.9 (146) | 12.2 (501) | 14.8 (327) |
Experience of jobs so far | 48.0 (61) | 74.4(733) | 68.5(2806) | 54.2 (1198) |
Enthusiasm/commitment: what I really want to do | 78.4 (98) | 71.5 (702) | 65.3 (2663) | 56.5(1245) |
Year Five | ||||
Domestic circumstances | 37.8 (65) | 18.5(215) | 29.5 (1562) | 64.4(2153) |
Hours/working conditions | 70.5 (122) | 24.9(290) | 45.9(2432) | 85.4(2858) |
Future financial prospects | 21.4 (37) | 17.1 (200) | 8.1(432) | 17.3 (580) |
Career & promotion prospects | 20.8 (36) | 27.1 (316) | 25.0 (1330) | 19.8 (664) |
Self-appraisal of own skills/aptitudes | 51.5 (88) | 57.4 (671) | 57.2 (3045) | 51.3 (1719) |
Advice from others | 20.3 (35) | 17.4 (203) | 14.2 (754) | 10.7(359) |
Experience of chosen subject as a student | 30.2 (52) | 26.2 (307) | 22.1 (1175) | 17.1(573) |
†A particular teacher/department | 12.8 (11) | 37.2(241) | 24.8 (664) | 5.2 (89) |
Inclinations before medical school | 8.7 (15) | 12.2 (143) | 9.9 (529) | 12.6 (423) |
Experience of jobs so far | 52.3 (90) | 76.3(893) | 68.2(3635) | 52.1 (1749) |
Enthusiasm/commitment: what I really want to do | 79.8 (138) | 84.0 (983) | 75.0 (3992) | 59.9(2013) |
††Financial circumstances whilst training | 2.0 (1) | 5.2 (14) | 5.0 (72) | 7.3 (62) |
††Organisation of training programme | 16.0 (8) | 22.3 (60) | 29.9 (428) | 27.2 (232) |
††Inability to secure qualifications | 6.3 (3) | 1.5 (4) | 2.1 (29) | 2.5 (21) |