Academic careers: choice and activity of graduates of a pediatric residency program 1974-1986

In summary, our data suggest that the playing field for academic medicine is changing. It is more patient care oriented, more multifaceted and supported more by clinical dollars than in the past. Greater flexibility in what constitutes "academic success" is necessary to assure a supportive environment in which tomorrow's academic faculty can develop and flourish. To accomplish these goals promotion systems that reward not only research but also teaching and clinical care accomplishments will be necessary. Clinicians will need to be compared with clinicians, teachers with teachers, clinical investigators with clinical investigators and basic investigators with basic investigators. Sources of support will need to be more clearly targeted along activity lines with clinical dollars supporting the clinician, medical education dollars supporting the teacher-educators and federal and foundation dollars supporting research. In our department, time and effort for research (45%) approximates dollar support for this activity (44%), while clinical dollars (43%) fund to a greater degree time and effort committed to clinical care (34%), and administration and teaching dollars (13%) under fund time and effort committed to these activities (21%). This suggests the need to identify increased funding to support teaching and education. Promotion expectations for women will need to be more flexible and adjusted to family responsibilities and demands. Most of all, however, we academic faculty must support enthusiastically the importance and joy of our work. We must be encouraging to our colleagues and our students and continue to recognize that for all of the difficulties and challenges, academic life is a rewarding and fulfilling enterprise.