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24 Making General Practice Attractive: Encouraging GP attraction and Retention KCE Reports 90
the extra-curricular activities (e.g. elective clinical courses) reinforce this attitude
52
.
50 , 51 ,
Role models
The society is also responsible for the attraction for general practice. The friends,
members of the family, local health professionals and school teachers, by their
encouragements, assistance and interest for the profession, can stimulate the degree of
adhesion to general practice 18 , 19 , 23 . Several students identified professionals in their
school and community as role models or mentors. The fact that the future general
practitioner can refer to a role model, even a mentor GP during his studies, has a
18 , 19 , 21 , 23 , 28 , 34 , 47 77 , 51 ,
strongly positive influences to the attraction into the profession
53 33 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 .
EXPECTATIONS REGARDING THE PROFESSION
The perception of the profession determines the orientation towards a GP career.
Some factors favor this orientation although many studies mention factors that have a
harmful influence.
Negative perception of the profession
First of all, many papers mention the difficult working conditions of the GPs. They
include a heavy workload 28 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 30 , 44
, the stressful lifestyle and the non
controllable lifestyle. Inflexibility of hours, required commitment and on call availability
22 , 23 , 24 , 30 , 34 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 are some examples mentioned in the
studies to support this assertion.
An other important factor is the balance with a harmonious family life who seems
difficult 22 , 26 , 40 , 61 , 62 , 66 , 69 (especially for women 13 , a lack of personal time 61 or time
with family 30 .
Finally, disadvantages related to the health of the GP were mentioned: professional
burn out (even in young GP’s), stress and depression 62 .
Finally, many studies suggest that students perceive that family practice has a less
prestigious picture than other specialties within the medical profession. This relative
lack of prestige reduces the attractiveness of primary care in comparison with other
specialties 22 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 33 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 55 , 70 , 71 .
The increasing demands and expectations of patients 62 , 65 , 66 , 72 also play a deterring
role, with potential litigations 62 that follow their dissatisfaction.
The burden of administrative work also discourage some students 10 , 30 , 55 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 .
Finally, the absence of teamwork 23 , 31 and the insufficient intellectual content 55 , are also
pointed as factors not favorable to invest in a career of GP.
Positive perception of the profession
The patients have also a positive role as regards the attraction for the GP profession.
The practice of a holistic medicine 31 , 62 30 , 54 , 61 , 62 , 66
registered in a continuity of care
with human dimension 31 are tempting aspects for the future GPs.
The good relationships with staff and local hospitals 62 reinforce the positive attraction
for general practice.
23 , 54
In addition, the variety of tasks (to deal with both common and complex problems)
, 61 , 64 , 66
represent positive aspects of the profession.
The working conditions of the GP also have a positive features for attracting the future
GP's, in particular three aspects related with autonomy: the flexibility of work 61 , the
control over working pattern 61 and the possibility of a flexible career according to
skills, interests, and personal situation 64 , 66 .