Women doctors' career choice and commitment to medicine: implications for general practice.

Abstract

This study examined the work experiences and plans of a national sample of 150 female medical graduates of 1976, 1980 and 1984. The sample was exhaustively traced and information obtained about 97% of the doctors, including 100% of the doctors ever likely to practise in the UK. The findings show a high recent and planned participation rate in medical practice, especially general practice, among these women graduates and no involuntary unemployment. Increased numbers of women at medical school will result in manpower changes, particularly in general practice, but these increases will not counter possible overproduction of medical graduates. The study also demonstrates that it is possible to achieve a high response rate among medical graduates by using a telephone interview.