CHARACTERISTICS, WORKLOAD, AND JOB-SATISFACTION OF ATTENDING PHYSICIANS FROM PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY-MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS

The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of acad emic Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) faculty, the workload of these physicians, and the preceived effect this workload has had or will ha ve on job satisfaction. A self-administered, seven-page, closed-end su rvey was used. Participants were PEM departments with PEM Fellowship T raining Programs. Surveys were completed by 37 PEM departments (84%). The average number of faculty per department was 7.33. Ninety-three pe rcent of the faculty were board certified in Pediatrics, Emergency Med icine, or both. Only 15% of the faculty had an academic rank of associ ate or full professor. Fifty-four percent of the faculty had less than five years' experience. Average patient census per department was 43, 400 per year. Physicians without administrative titles averaged 30 cli nician hours per week. Attending physicians covered 85 to 100% of the overnight shifts in 17 programs (52%). Clinical workload was believed to be excessive in 17 programs (46%), with total number of hours given as the most common reason for this excess. In nine of these 17 progra ms, excess clinical workload had resulted in physician ''burnout.'' Ph ysicians from only eight programs (22%) believed they could practice P EM after 50 years of age. Shift work and overnight shifts were given a s the most common reason. Stressed physician groups were significantly associated with programs whose attending physicians covered greater-t han-or-equal-to 85% of the night shifts (P < 0.04) and reported excess ive clinical workload (P < 0.002). Job satisfaction perceived by PEM f aculty appears to be dependent on addressing the clinical workload and the adverse effects of overnight and shift work.