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Personality characteristics and attributes of international medical graduates in general practice training: Implications for supporting this valued Australian workforce
Author(s) -
Laurence Caroline O.,
Eley Diann S.,
Walters Lucie,
Elliott Taryn,
Cloninger Claude Robert
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
australian journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.48
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1584
pISSN - 1038-5282
DOI - 10.1111/ajr.12273
Subject(s) - cooperativeness , temperament and character inventory , novelty seeking , psychological resilience , workforce , temperament , decile , personality , big five personality traits , psychology , clinical psychology , medicine , medical education , social psychology , statistics , mathematics , economics , economic growth
Objectives To describe the personality profiles of International Medical Graduates ( IMG s) undertaking General Practice ( GP ) training in Australia. A better understanding of the personal characteristics of IMG s may inform their training and enhance support for their vital contribution to the Australian rural workforce. Design Cross‐sectional self‐report questionnaires. Independent variables included socio‐demographics, prior training, the Temperament and Character Inventory, and the Resilience Scale. Setting and participants GP registrars ( IMG s = 102; AMG s = 350) training in the Australian General Practice Training rural and general pathway and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine independent pathway. Main outcome measures Univariate analysis explored the differences in levels of traits between IMG and AMG registrars. Results Compared to the general population both groups have moderately high resilience, and well‐organised characters with high Self‐directedness, high Cooperativeness and low Self‐transcendence, supported by temperaments which were high in Persistence and Reward Dependence. IMG s were different than AMG s in two temperament traits, Novelty Seeking and Persistence and two character traits, Self‐directedness and Cooperativeness. Conclusions Factors such as cultural and training backgrounds, personal and professional expectations, and adjustments necessary to assimilate to a new lifestyle and health system are likely to be responsible for differences found between groups. Understanding the personality profiles of IMG s provides opportunities for targeted training and support which may in turn impact on their retention in rural areas.