Career aspirations among the French residents in anaesthesiology and intensive care: A qualitative survey

At the time of an unprecedented medical demographic crisis in anaesthesiology and intensive care in France, understanding the expectations of the residents in Anaesthesia and intensive care may better their recruitment. We questioned the French residents in anaesthesiology and intensive care (RAIC) by an electronic survey. It explored the motivations, the priorities and the professional aspirations of the French RAIC in a multidimensional way. The overall response rate to the survey was 37% (704/1911). The RAIC considered themselves at 63.5% (n = 447) as much anesthesiologist as intensivist rather than strictly anesthesiologist or strictly intensivist. For their future practice, only 13.9% (n = 98) wanted to work exclusively as intensivists and 22.6% (n = 159) exclusively as anesthesiologists. Private hospitals were more attractive structures than the University hospitals. The average desirable daily working time was 9.8 +/- 1 hours. The average desirable weekly working time was 4 +/- 0.5 days. The average desirable monthly number of overnight shifts was 4 +/- 1. The four major elements in the choice for the place to exercise were: "the interest and the variability of the job''; "the relationship and the agreement within the anaesthetic team''; "the incomes'' and "the opportunity to choose the ratio between anaesthesia and intensive-care''. The main priority for their personal life was "family'' for 60% of the RAIC, ahead of "free time'', "professional activity'' or "money''. A majority of the RAIC wants a clinical practice combining both anaesthesia and intensive care. Part-time practice favouring family life rather than high wages merges as a worthy model. The public hospitals and the University hospitals are no longer the most attractive structures. Proposing job offers and organisational models consistent with these professional aspirations may enhance a perennial recruitment of the young practitioners.