Changes in Career Satisfaction Among Primary Care and Specialist Physicians, 1997-2001

Janurary 22, 2003
Journal of the American Medical Association , January 22, 2003, Vol. 289, No. 4
Bruce Landon, James D. Reschovsky, David Blumenthal

Abstract:

uring the past decade, the organization and management of medical practice has changed considerably. To examine trends in physician career satisfaction and how changes in the practice environment may affect changes in physician satisfaction, Landon and colleagues conducted telephone surveys of a nationally representative sample of physicians at 60 US sites in 1996-1997, 1998-1999, and 2000-2001. Overall physician satisfaction levels declined marginally between 1997 and 2001, with most of the decline occurring between 1997 and 1999. Physician satisfaction varied markedly among sites. Constraints on physicians’ clinical autonomy were most strongly associated with changes in satisfaction.

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