What Makes Korean Emergency Physician Satisfied?

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Emergency Medicine became a medical specialty in Korea more than 20 years ago. However, Emergency Medicine is struggling due to lack of enthusiasm from young physicians. Working conditions, personal well-being, and all around satisfaction were analyzed in a survey to determine the reality. METHODS: A survey was conducted in 2010. The survey consisted of personal interests, working conditions, and salaries of members of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine (KSEM). Several factors were estimated to evaluate the satisfaction of emergency physicians (EP). RESULTS: A total of 394 survey results were collected from 635 currently working emergency physicians out of 841 registered EPs. In the survey 48.6% of EPs were considering retiring from current practice. The preferred retirement age was 55. The survey also showed that many EPs considered that night shift was possible up to age 50. According to the responses, 50.5% of EPs in their 30s, 53.4% of EPs in their 40s were considering retiring. Factors influencing their decision were burnout, night shift, age, health issues, rather than social isolation, litigation, and disappointment. However the disappointment was the only statistically significant factor influencing retirement. Using a ten point Likert scale, the score for satisfaction with residency training was 6.4; when asked if they would choose Emergency Medicine again, the score was 5.5; the score for satisfaction with the Korean Emergency Medical Service System was 3.9; the score for prospects of emergency medicine in 10 years was 5.8. CONCLUSION: Korean emergency physicians are under a lot of stress from the job and are unsatisfied. Many in their 30s and 40s are considering retiring from practice. Therefore, establishment of clear cut standards on working hours and environments is imperative to improve the satisfaction of working emergency physicians.