Physician Satisfcation: What Factors Lead To Higher Levels Of Job Satisfaction In The Medical FieldWhile talking about physician satisfaction, we actually talk about the job satisfaction that most physicians get from their medical practice. According to a survey conducted by the UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center, the most satisfied physicians are those who are in the fields of pediatrics, those caring for newborns and the elderly and dermatologists. Even the physicians practicing in New England and the West Central regions of America are among the highly satisfied physicians. A survey conducted on more than 12,000 physicians and covering more than 33 fields in medicine found that almost 70 percent are satisfied and 20 percent are dissatisfied in their given field. The satisfaction levels were varied, depending on factors like specialty, region, practice and institution attended. One of the biggest reasons for physicians being satisfied is the reward that science and medicine offers in spite of the difficulties of the dynamic health-care system. Pediatrics, prenatal medicine, neonatal care, geriatric internal medicine and dermatology are specialties that provide high satisfaction levels to the physicians. The most dissatisfied physicians are those practicing obstetrics/gynecology, ophthalmology and orthopedic surgery and otolaryngology specialties. The survey proves that careers are not created to give similar levels of satisfaction to the physician. This is important to note, because for specialties like obstetrics and gynecology the levels cannot drop, as this would affect the health care in the country. Another factor that is taken into consideration while physicians discuss their satisfaction levels is the income level. Higher the income level, higher the physician's satisfaction level would be and vice versa. Areas that affect Physician Satisfaction * Region: The place where the physician is practicing is an important factor while talking about physician satisfaction. Those living in New England specially areas of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut as well as those living in the West North Central States of America like Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas have a higher satisfaction rate. Physicians in States like Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and the other Pacific states like Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii and West South Central States like Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas have higher levels of dissatisfaction. * Age: Age is an important factor for physician satisfaction. Younger physicians are more satisfied than their older counterparts. * Type of Practice: Physicians who have their own practice are more dissatisfied than those who work in hospitals or partnership clinics. * Medical Education: Physicians who have graduated from medical schools outside the country are more dissatisfied than those who graduated in America. It is important that physicians have high rates of satisfaction, as this affects their morale. |