1. Focus groups about decision “for” or “against”
family medicine specialisation
Irena Makivic, Irena Krotec, Janko Kersnik, Marko Kolsek
Department of Family Medicine; Medical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Results
Main findings are summed up below in Table 1. As we can
Background see, there are different as well as the same highlights on both
In Slovenia we have a problem filling sides. The key must lie in different students’ characteristics.
posts for family medicine specialty We noticed some students want to work in stressful and full
training. There are not enough medical
of adrenaline working conditions, while other prefered
students that decide for family medicine
specialisation. Lack of family medicine moderated work. To sum up positive sides we can say they
trainees is an important problem like it because it is less stressful, you can start to work quickly
because there is already a lack of family with broad possibilities for working field and better options
doctors in the last 10 years. If this tend is for creating one’s own private and family life (good working
going to continue it can result in less hours and more free time). On the other hand students also
quality health care. like that you have special individual doctor-patient
relationship and that’s why you can also prevent some
Method diseases or referals so you can really be a good doctor. While
We run 5 focus groups with medical there are some more negative sides of this work as they
students of different academic years to pointed out, but some of them are not on the personal level,
find reasons for and against choosing such as: lower respect (from other colleagues, faculty and
family medicine specialisation. Average other specialists as well as negative media and therefore
length of the focus group conversation public opinion), problems of health care system (as they see it
was 60 minutes. There were 20 women pretty negative, especially with different pressures – time
and 4 men in all groups; 11 from big city, pressure, pressure from patients and pressure for health
3 from smaller city and 10 from village insurance companies) and lower salary. But there are also
with the average age of 24 years. Six personal fears or weaknesses of this work as they see it, such
participants were first year students, five as lack of challenge and monotone work, fear of possible
second, six third year, and other seven burn out (especially in smaller practices) on one side and
were fifth and sixth year students.. Two feeling that you cannot be the best. Although you are often a
researchers analysed all transcripts doctor all day long, every day, you often do not cure things
independently. A purposive approach to (you are just a co-operator between levels of health system).
sampling was used and students were The negative is also in view of career – less possibilities for
recruited from all medical students in academic progress, research and work with the students.
Slovenian Medical Faculty in Ljubljana. There is also the problem of independence, while being lees
mobile (not so many options to travel and work abroad) and
have less chances for private practice.
POSITIVE NEGATIVE
Less stressful Lower respect
Shorter specialisation Problems of health care system
Good possibilities of different working fields and
Lower salary
places
Better for having a family Lack of challenge
Good working hours Too passive and routinized work
More free time Possible burn out
Special relationship between doctor and patient Hard to be the best
Not monotonous (different people and problems) Being a doctor 24/7
You can prevent something You do not cure
You can be good Worse options for academic progress and research