A study of junior doctors to investigate the factors that influence careerdecisions

Both pre-registration house officers and general practitioner (GP) registra rs agree on several desirable and undesirable factors that define their ide al career. These relate to fulfilling clinical work and preservation of a m eaningful personal life. Many young doctors regret their choice of medicine as a career because of poor job conditions and stress and perceive career advice as inadequate. GPs' influence over junior doctors at the time of the ir career decision making is very limited compared with that of consultants .