Attractions and barriers to Australian physician-researcher careers

Abstract

Background: There is a global concern that physician-researchers are ‘a dying breed’. Recent studies of clinical career choices of Australian medical students and doctors have signalled the rising age of medical graduates, generational shifts in work–life attitudes and increased proportion of female graduates. There are scant data regarding Australian physician-researchers. Aims: To develop and utilise a questionnaire determining respondent characteristics and ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors for medical graduates to incorporate research into their careers. Methods: We developed and administered an 88-item online survey, including quantitative and qualitative questions, to medical students, faculty..