Drexit: Understanding why junior doctors leave their training programs to train overseas: An observational study of UK physicians
Abstract Introduction Drexit (“Doctor‐Exit”) is the exponentially growing trend for junior doctors in the UK to walk away from their jobs in the National Health Service (NHS). Our objective was to identify the reasons why junior doctors in the UK leave their NHS training programs to train overseas....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Health Science Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.419 |
| _version_ | 1811311024074129408 |
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| author | Hannah C.P. Wilson Sarah Abrams Arabella Simpkin Begin |
| author_facet | Hannah C.P. Wilson Sarah Abrams Arabella Simpkin Begin |
| author_sort | Hannah C.P. Wilson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction Drexit (“Doctor‐Exit”) is the exponentially growing trend for junior doctors in the UK to walk away from their jobs in the National Health Service (NHS). Our objective was to identify the reasons why junior doctors in the UK leave their NHS training programs to train overseas. Materials and Methods A simultaneous and convergent mixed‐methods study was performed to analyze both an online survey and semi‐structured interviews from junior doctors who had left the NHS. Social media, online professional media, and networks of junior doctors were used to recruit doctors. All were UK medical school graduates who had left the NHS within the last 15 years (2003‐2018). Results 96.1% (149/155) of respondents reported not being offered an exit interview on leaving the NHS. 94.8% (147/155) of respondents did not regret quitting the NHS. Participants were more satisfied with their pay and work life balance in their overseas posts when compared to training in the NHS (P < 0.05). Burnout was variably defined and was prominent in doctors who left 53.8% (113/210) but was reversed when they practiced medicine overseas in 89.2% (74/83) of cases. Qualitative data identified four key themes which were categorized into push factors, which were lack of interest in retention and bleak outlook; and pull factors, which were financial vs social capital and things are different overseas. Conclusion Listening to the frontline junior doctors' voices lend insights into a better understanding of the push and pull factors that appear to be exacerbating the exodus of junior doctors from the NHS. Our results indicate that exit interviews should be performed routinely. There needs to be a shift to focus on the training of doctors rather than service provision, with efforts to support, appreciate, and value junior doctors. Further exploration is needed to identify what is happening in training programs overseas to improve retention within the NHS. Furthermore, identifying issues perceived by junior doctors in the UK in the context of workforce planning may be applicable to healthcare systems across the globe. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T10:09:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3703e21b148e45f08cdc8dc1eafa36cc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2398-8835 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T10:09:30Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Science Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-3703e21b148e45f08cdc8dc1eafa36cc2022-12-22T02:50:57ZengWileyHealth Science Reports2398-88352021-12-0144n/an/a10.1002/hsr2.419Drexit: Understanding why junior doctors leave their training programs to train overseas: An observational study of UK physiciansHannah C.P. Wilson0Sarah Abrams1Arabella Simpkin Begin2Department of Medical Education Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts USASchool of Medicine Imperial College London London UKDepartment of Medical Education Harvard Medical School Boston Massachusetts USAAbstract Introduction Drexit (“Doctor‐Exit”) is the exponentially growing trend for junior doctors in the UK to walk away from their jobs in the National Health Service (NHS). Our objective was to identify the reasons why junior doctors in the UK leave their NHS training programs to train overseas. Materials and Methods A simultaneous and convergent mixed‐methods study was performed to analyze both an online survey and semi‐structured interviews from junior doctors who had left the NHS. Social media, online professional media, and networks of junior doctors were used to recruit doctors. All were UK medical school graduates who had left the NHS within the last 15 years (2003‐2018). Results 96.1% (149/155) of respondents reported not being offered an exit interview on leaving the NHS. 94.8% (147/155) of respondents did not regret quitting the NHS. Participants were more satisfied with their pay and work life balance in their overseas posts when compared to training in the NHS (P < 0.05). Burnout was variably defined and was prominent in doctors who left 53.8% (113/210) but was reversed when they practiced medicine overseas in 89.2% (74/83) of cases. Qualitative data identified four key themes which were categorized into push factors, which were lack of interest in retention and bleak outlook; and pull factors, which were financial vs social capital and things are different overseas. Conclusion Listening to the frontline junior doctors' voices lend insights into a better understanding of the push and pull factors that appear to be exacerbating the exodus of junior doctors from the NHS. Our results indicate that exit interviews should be performed routinely. There needs to be a shift to focus on the training of doctors rather than service provision, with efforts to support, appreciate, and value junior doctors. Further exploration is needed to identify what is happening in training programs overseas to improve retention within the NHS. Furthermore, identifying issues perceived by junior doctors in the UK in the context of workforce planning may be applicable to healthcare systems across the globe.https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.419burnoutDrexitjob satisfactionjunior doctorsretentiontraining |
| spellingShingle | Hannah C.P. Wilson Sarah Abrams Arabella Simpkin Begin Drexit: Understanding why junior doctors leave their training programs to train overseas: An observational study of UK physicians Health Science Reports burnout Drexit job satisfaction junior doctors retention training |
| title | Drexit: Understanding why junior doctors leave their training programs to train overseas: An observational study of UK physicians |
| title_full | Drexit: Understanding why junior doctors leave their training programs to train overseas: An observational study of UK physicians |
| title_fullStr | Drexit: Understanding why junior doctors leave their training programs to train overseas: An observational study of UK physicians |
| title_full_unstemmed | Drexit: Understanding why junior doctors leave their training programs to train overseas: An observational study of UK physicians |
| title_short | Drexit: Understanding why junior doctors leave their training programs to train overseas: An observational study of UK physicians |
| title_sort | drexit understanding why junior doctors leave their training programs to train overseas an observational study of uk physicians |
| topic | burnout Drexit job satisfaction junior doctors retention training |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.419 |
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