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Interactions with Colleagues and Their Effects on the Satisfaction of Rural Primary Care Physicians
Author(s) -
RamsbottomLucier Mary T.,
Caudill Timothy S.,
Johnson Mitzi M.S.,
Rich Eugene C.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
the journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.439
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1748-0361
pISSN - 0890-765X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-0361.1995.tb00414.x
Subject(s) - graduation (instrument) , job satisfaction , nursing , family medicine , work (physics) , medicine , primary care , quality (philosophy) , burnout , medical education , patient satisfaction , psychology , social psychology , mechanical engineering , philosophy , clinical psychology , geometry , mathematics , epistemology , engineering
Physician work satisfaction is related to several aspects of practice organization, including work group or colleagues, job content, work hours, and future opportunities. Practice location is an important determinant of practice organization and personal life satisfaction. This study compared the professional satisfaction of physicians in rural and urban settings to determine how practice setting, practice type, work hours, and interactions with colleagues influenced satisfaction. Surveys focusing on professional satisfaction were mailed to community‐based, primary care physicians in Kentucky. Overall, physicians were satisfied with their practices, with physicians in larger communities being more satisfied than those from smaller communities. Professional satisfaction was associated with practice location, practice type, number of years since graduation from medical school, number of colleagues identified, and the quality of professional interactions with colleagues. The study concluded that collegial support for physicians is important in creating work environments that promote professional satisfaction.