Junior doctors’ desire to practise falls in first year of training

A number of trainee doctors became disenchanted with practising medicine in their first year of training, known as foundation year 1, a BMA study shows. It found that the number who said they strongly wished to practise medicine nearly halved between graduation from medical school and the end of foundation year 1.

The 10 year BMA cohort study is following the career paths of 435 doctors who graduated in 2006, to help with future workforce planning. The second report, published on 7 July, gives information about their work and experiences in their first foundation year of training along with their thoughts on their future careers.

The study found that on completing foundation year 1 just …