Job satisfaction and workplace characteristics of primary and specialty care physicians at a bimodal medical school

Purpose. A few medical schools are highly successful in obtaining research funding and producing primary care physicians. The authors compared the job satisfaction of primary and specialty care faculty at one of these bimodal schools. Methods. In 1998, all full-time physician-faculty (n=408) in 15 clinical de partments at the University of Iowa College of Medicine (a bimodal medical school) were sent a questionnaire based on the Price-Mueller model of job s atisfaction. Faculty rated their global job satisfaction and perceptions ab out 18 workplace characteristics, stressors, and supports. Responses of pri mary and specialty care physicians were compared in these domains. Results. A total of 71% of surveyed faculty (n=341) returned usable questio nnaires. Primary and specialty care faculty reported similar levels of job satisfaction (p=.20), and similar percentages (51% versus 54%, p=.63) repor ted overall satisfaction with their jobs at the medical school. However, pr imary care faculty perceived less opportunity to advance (p<.01), greater p rofessional-role ambiguity (p=.02), less collegiality (p=.02), and less abi lity to make full use of their clinical skills (p=.01). Primary and special ty care faculty reported similar intentions of leaving the medical school w ithin the coming year (p=.41). Conclusions. Primary and specialty care physicians at one bimodal medical s chool reported similar levels of job satisfaction. However, the primary car e physicians rated several important job-related domains lower than did the ir specialty care colleagues, most notably the opportunity to advance withi n the medical school.