Junior doctors and management: myth and reality

Uses an empirical investigation based on a survey of junior doctors in five NHS trust hospitals, to examine their attitudes towards both the general principle of clinical involvement in hospital management and the particular prospect of exercising such a role themselves. Finds that junior doctors, with few exceptions and irrespective of grade, were very positive towards clinical management roles in NHS trusts and were almost universally keen to assume management responsibilities when they were more senior. At the same time, finds junior doctors to have little concept of the doctor manager role or the recognized and demanded specific preparation for assuming management responsibilities.