Survey reveals 45% of junior doctors are considering leaving the profession

1 in 3 (36%) of GPs and 1 in 4 (25%) of specialists surveyed were also looking to pursue a non-medical related career. Further, more than 1 in 3 (37%) of doctors surveyed cited ‘burnout’, unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic, as their main reason for wanting to leave.

Vanessa Sibbald, Managing Editor at Medscape UK, commented:

“This research has uncovered some concerning realities. Given the current staffing crisis and the ongoing pressure on medical professionals to work considerably extended hours with less staff in high-pressure environments, it is understandable yet alarming that so many of our junior doctors are considering leaving the profession altogether.”

Another reason, which the under-45s were over six times more likely to believe than the 45 and overs, was that they could earn more money in a non-medical career. The reverse of this was seen with the desire to work less hours, with around twice as many over-45s citing this as their reason compared to the under-45s.

Many doctors have already began looking into alternative, non-clinical careers which ‘seem interesting’, and 7 out of 10 (70%) have ‘side gigs’ which over a third believe are ‘more fulfilling’ than their main medical career. However, only 13% of junior doctors shared that they engaged in side gigs.

The most common medical side gig was in medical consulting (28%). Around 1 in 7 doctors (16%) engaged in medical moonlighting, where they worked additional shifts in hospitals, emergency rooms, or care centres. The most common non-medical side gig was real estate (28%).

James Spargo