Publication
Title
Personal life and working conditions of trainees and young specialists in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases in Europe : a questionnaire survey
Author
Institution/Organisation
ESCMID
Abstract
The purpose of this investigation was to assess the balance between the personal and professional lives of trainees and young European specialists in clinical microbiology (CM) and infectious diseases (ID), and determine differences according to gender, country of training, workplace and specialty. The Steering Committee of the Trainee Association of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) devised a questionnaire survey consisting, beyond the demographic questions, of nine yes/no questions, 11 Likert scale self-evaluations and one open-response item on parenthood, working conditions, quality of life, alcohol consumption and burnout. This anonymous survey in English was held between April and July 2015 among European CM/ID trainees and young specialists (< 3 years after training completion). Responses from 416 participants with a mean age of 32 years [standard deviation (SD) 5 years] were analysed. Females and physicians from Northern/Western Europe (NWE) benefit more from paternity/maternity leaves even during training than their counterparts. Among all respondents, only half of breastfeeding mothers enjoyed the benefit of working hours flexibility. Only two-thirds of respondents found their working environment stimulating. In comparison to colleagues from other parts of Europe, trainees and young specialists from Southern/Eastern Europe (SEE) had less frequent regular meetings with mentors/supervisors and head of departments where trainees' issues are discussed. Also, physicians from SEE were more frequently victims of workplace mobbing/bullying in comparison to those from other regions. Finally, multivariate analysis showed that female gender, SEE region and ID specialty were associated with burnout feelings. Female gender and country of work from SEE largely determine satisfactory working conditions, the possibility of parenthood leaves, amount of leisure time, mobbing experiences and burnout feelings among European CM/ID trainees and young specialists.
Language
English
Source (journal)
European journal of clinical microbiology and infectious diseases. - Wiesbaden
Publication
Wiesbaden : 2017
ISSN
0934-9723 [print]
1435-4373 [online]
DOI
10.1007/S10096-017-2937-4
Volume/pages
36 :7 (2017) , p. 1287-1295
ISI
000404781300030
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 02.08.2018
Last edited 09.10.2023
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