Career focus: Reducing stress among junior doctors
BMJ 2001; 322 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.010216 (Published 01 February 2001) Cite this as: BMJ 2001;322:010216
- Carole Luck, consultant radiologist1
- 1Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals, Ascot SL5 8AA
More is asked of our junior doctors than ever before: training is shorter, the career ladder is steeper, work is more intense, and public expectations are higher. Stress is inherent in a medical career, but excessive stress leads to poor performance and affects health care.12 What are the causes of unnecessary stress, and what can be done to limit them?
Over five years as a district clinical tutor in a large district general hospital, I discussed a variety of problems with over 400 junior doctors, mainly preregistration and senior house officers. The purpose of the interviews was to analyse the sources of stress in order to contain and reduce them.
Career choice
A quarter of the junior doctors found career indecision a considerable cause of stress. In one case a senior house officer had always wanted to follow her father as a general physician. She failed the MRCP twice and hated nights on call. She had difficulty organising her time and felt that work pressures were too intense.3
Sleep deprivation meant she was too tired to study for exams and could not balance her work and home life.4 She was unwilling to discuss her fears with her specialty tutor, believing this could prejudice her references. She benefited from one to one discussions, in which we examined her strengths and analysed her aspirations. A network of consultants and general practitioners willing to talk about their various specialties had been created, and the senior house officer took advantage of this, shadowing a local general practitioner. She decided on a career in general practice and has since obtained a general …
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