Psychometric comparisons of trainees and consultants in anaesthesia and psychiatry

Two psychometric tests were taken by trainees in anaesthesia and psychiatry, and by consultant practitioners in these specialties. The Cattell 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire measured primary and secondary aspects of personality. The Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory assessed interests, and compared the results with those of the test's control subjects who worked satisfactorily in one of 162 occupations. All clinician groups scored highly in intelligence, innovation, self-sufficiency, and interests in the arts and medical science. Anaesthetic trainees were very similar to psychiatric trainees except in the quality, tender-mindedness, in which the psychiatrists' mean score was much higher. Trainee anaesthetists closely resembled consultants in that specialty, except that the younger group was more apprehensive and less conscientious. Consultant anaesthetists were more conscientious, realistic, conventional, and had more "tough-poise" than consultant psychiatrists, who were higher in social interests and tender-mindedness. These differences appear to be largely the result of the types of practice in these specialties, rather than reasons people chose their fields. It is unlikely that these tests would be useful in the process of trainee selection, but the possibility that psychometric tests could be devised for that purpose must be considered.