Worklife and satisfaction of general internists

Area of Science:

• Internal Medicine
• Physician Workforce Studies
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Previous research indicates lower job satisfaction among general internists.
• This study investigates the factors influencing general internist satisfaction using national survey data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess correlates of job satisfaction for general internists in the US.
• To compare general internists' satisfaction levels with those of internal medicine subspecialists (IMSSs) and family physicians (FPs).

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Physician Worklife Survey, a national random sample of US physicians.
• Assessed general internists on satisfaction, training, patient mix, work hours, likelihood of recommending their specialty, and job stability.
• Employed logistic regression to model predictors of satisfaction, stress, and medical student recruitment, comparing general internists to IMSSs and FPs.

Main Results:

• General internists reported lower satisfaction than IMSSs (colleague relationships, patient care) and FPs (community ties).
• Global job, career, and specialty satisfaction were significantly lower for general internists compared to FPs and IMSSs.
• Higher satisfaction for general internists was linked to older age, less time pressure, fewer work hours, and fewer patients with complex psychosocial problems.

Conclusions:

• The demanding role of caring for complex patients contributes to lower satisfaction for general internists compared to IMSSs and FPs.
• Recommendations include adjusting caseloads for patient complexity, increasing office visit times, and enhancing training for psychosocially complex cases.
• These changes may improve job satisfaction and enhance medical student recruitment into general internal medicine.