Job satisfaction among Australian doctors: the use of latent class analysis

To identify patterns of job satisfaction among Australian doctors using latent class analysis, and to determine the relationships of these patterns to personal and professional characteristics so as to improve satisfaction and minimize medical wastage.

MABEL (Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life) data in 2011 were used. The study collected information on 5764 doctors about their job satisfaction, demographic characteristics, their health, country of medical training, opportunities for professional development and social interaction, taking time off work, views of patients' expectations, unpredictable working hours, hours worked per week, preference to reduce hours and intention to leave the medical workforce.

Four latent classes of job satisfaction were identified: 5.8% had high job satisfaction; 19.4% had low satisfaction with working hours; 16.1% had high satisfaction with working hours but felt undervalued; and 6.5% had low job satisfaction. Low job satisfaction was associated with reporting poor health, having trained outside Australia, having poor opportunities for professional development and working longer hours. Low satisfaction was associated with a preference to reduce work hours and an intention to leave the medical workforce.

To improve job satisfaction and minimize medical wastage, policies need to address needs of overseas trained doctors, provide continuing professional development and provide good health care for doctors.