School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, UK.
J Foot Ankle Res. 2009 Feb 13;2:4. doi: 10.1186/1757-1146-2-4.
This paper explores the notion of professional status from the perspective of a sample of Australian podiatrists; how it is experienced, what factors are felt to affect it, and how these are considered to influence professional standing within an evolving healthcare system. Underpinning sociological theory is deployed in order to inform and contextualise the study.
Data were drawn from a series of in-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 21) and focus groups (n = 9) with podiatrists from across four of Australia's eastern states (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Australian Capital Territory), resulting in a total of 76 participants. Semi-structured interview schedules sought to explore podiatrist perspectives on a range of features related to professional status within podiatry in Australia.
Central to the retention and enhancement of status was felt to be the development of specialist roles and the maintenance of control over key task domains. Key distinctions in private and public sector environments, and in rural and urban settings, were noted and found to reflect differing contexts for status development. Marketing was considered important to image enhancement, as was the cache attached to the status of the universities providing graduate education.
Perceived determinants of professional status broadly matched those identified in the wider sociological literature, most notably credentialism, client status, content and context of work (such as specialisation) and an ideological basis for persuading audiences to acknowledge professional status. In an environment of demographic and workforce change, and the resultant policy demands for healthcare service re-design, enhanced opportunities for specialisation appear evident. Under the current model of professionalism, both role flexibility and uniqueness may prove important.
本研究从澳大利亚足病医生的样本角度探讨了职业地位的概念；探讨了其体验方式、影响职业地位的因素以及这些因素如何被认为会影响不断发展的医疗保健系统中的专业地位。为了为研究提供信息和背景，部署了社会学理论。
数据来自对来自澳大利亚东部四个州（昆士兰州、新南威尔士州、维多利亚州和澳大利亚首都直辖区）的足病医生进行的一系列深入半结构化访谈（n = 21）和焦点小组（n = 9），共有 76 名参与者。半结构化访谈表旨在探讨足病医生对与澳大利亚足病医学专业地位相关的一系列特征的看法。
被认为是保留和增强地位的核心是发展专业角色和对关键任务领域的控制。在私营和公共部门环境以及农村和城市环境中注意到并发现了关键区别，这反映了不同的地位发展背景。营销被认为对形象提升很重要，为提供研究生教育的大学的地位所带来的声望也是如此。
职业地位的感知决定因素与更广泛的社会学文献中确定的因素大致相符，最突出的是凭证主义、客户地位、工作的内容和背景（如专业化）以及说服受众承认职业地位的意识形态基础。在人口和劳动力变化以及医疗保健服务重新设计的政策要求的环境下，专业化的机会似乎明显增加。在当前的专业模式下，角色的灵活性和独特性可能都很重要。
