What do UK doctors in training value in a post? A discrete choice experiment

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Workforce Research
• Career Development

Background:

• Individual and job-related factors influence medical career decisions.
• Trainee preferences for training post characteristics are well-studied, but trade-offs are under-researched.
• Understanding these trade-offs is vital for recruitment and retention policies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate UK foundation doctors' and trainees' preferences for training post characteristics.
• To quantify these preferences in terms of monetary value.

Main Methods:

• An online questionnaire study using a discrete choice experiment (DCE).
• Distributed to foundation programme doctors and doctors in training across three UK regions.
• Monetary values calculated from willingness to forgo/accept income for job characteristic changes.

Main Results:

• 1323 trainees responded.
• Good working conditions were the most influential characteristic.
• Trainees require significant compensation (e.g., 49.8% of average earnings) to accept poor working conditions.
• Partner opportunities (38.4%) and desirable location (30.8%) also hold substantial monetary value.

Conclusions:

• Trainees prioritize good working conditions, partner opportunities, and desirable locations in career decisions.
• This data can inform workforce planning and job opportunity information.
• Preferences showed limited variation based on individual characteristics.