Future career in gastroenterology: how is it perceived by internal medicine trainees? Results from a national survey

Abstract

Objective To investigate the perceptions of internal medicine trainees (IMTs) towards a career in gastroenterology and identify factors influencing their specialty choices. Design/Method A 26-item electronic questionnaire was circulated to IMTs across the UK. The responses were analysed using descriptive statistics, χ2 and multivariate analysis to identify differences in specialty perceptions and influencing factors based on demographic characteristics. Results 316 IMTs, mean 29.2 years, 58.2% female, 56.3% Caucasian, participated. The majority (70.9%) graduated from UK medical schools and completed foundation training (76.0%). Only 10.1% identified gastroenterology as their most likely specialty despite being positively perceived as a specialty by 67.7% of trainees. Key factors influencing specialty selection were lifestyle/flexible work (73.1%), mentorship (60.4%) and patient-centred care (56.0%). Positive aspects of gastroenterology included specialty-specific procedures (80.1%), interesting and manageable patients (49.7%), and academic opportunities (33.2%). Negative aspects were a difficult workload (70.6%), ‘poor lifestyle’ (59.5%) and high burn-out risk (52.5%). Lifestyle and flexibility were more important for those not pursuing gastroenterology compared with those pursuing gastroenterology (p<0.001). Factors identified to increase diversity and inclusivity included less-than-full-time training, increased flexibility and job-sharing opportunities. These were significantly preferred by females, UK graduates and foundation programme completers (p<0.05). Conclusion Gastroenterology remains a popular specialty among IMTs; however, addressing lifestyle concerns, enhancing mentorship and promoting diversity are essential for improving recruitment and retention. Reforming training pathways could further enhance the specialty’s appeal.