Specialist registrars' plans for working part time as consultants in medical specialties: questionnaire study

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Abstract
The Royal College of Physicians sent a questionnaire in December 1999 to all 2495 trainees in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland holding national training numbers in medical specialties. Replies were received from 1362 (55%), of whom 1311 answered the question, would you like a part time (eight sessions or less) post when you become a consultant? They had five options: “yes—definitely,” “yes—probably,” “yes—possibly,” “no—probably not,” and “no—definitely not.” The number and percentage of women (n=541) giving each response were 83 (15%), 105 (19%), 186 (34%), 120 (22%), and 47 (9%), and those of men (n=770) were 19 (2%), 34 (4%), 117 (15%), 265 (34%), and 335 (44%). A total of 1309 answered the question about whether they would consider a “job share” consultant post at some stage in their career, and had the same response options. The number and percentage of women (n=537) giving each response were 64 (12%), 100 (19%), 247 (46%), 95 (18%), and 31 (6%), and those of men (n=772) were 11 (1%), 26 (3%), 157 (20%), 241 (31%), and 337 (44%). The table shows the number and percentage of men, women, and all specialist registrars in the major specialties who replied “yes” to the questions on working part time and job sharing. These comprised 69% and 77% of women, 22% and 25% of men, and 41% and 46% of all respondents. The proportions responding positively in the specialties varied markedly, depending mainly on the gender ratio of trainees, from about 25% of those in cardiology to 75% of those in palliative medicine.