From the Department of Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia (Fielder, Watts, Gupta, McKenzie).
From New South Wales Health Pathology, Sydney, Australia (Fielder, Watts, Gupta, McKenzie).
Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2022 Jul 1;146(7):903-910. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2021-0118-OA.
CONTEXT.—: There is a global decline in medical graduates pursuing pathology careers, resulting in a broadening gap between workforce demand and supply.
OBJECTIVE.—: To determine causes of low popularity of pathology as a career and develop strategies to avoid a workforce crisis.
DESIGN.—: An online survey was distributed and yielded 1247 responses, including 609 Australian medical students from 10 medical schools, 119 prevocational doctors from 10 major teaching hospitals in New South Wales, 175 residents, and 344 pathologists throughout Australia.
RESULTS.—: Compared with pathology-uninterested peers, students and prevocational doctors interested in pathology careers were more likely to value research opportunities (57 of 166 [34.3%] pathology-interested respondents versus 112 of 521 [21.5%] pathology-uninterested respondents; odds ratio [OR] = 1.91, P < .001), have children (19 of 165 respondents [11.5%] versus 22 of 522 respondents [4.2%]; OR = 2.96, P < .001), and self-identify as introverted (87 of 167 respondents [52.1%] versus 179 of 526 respondents [34%]; OR = 2.1, P < .001). Those uninterested in pathology were more likely to value patient interaction (363 of 524 respondents [69.3%] versus 71 of 166 respondents [42.8%]; OR = 3.02, P < .001). Lack of exposure to pathology was the most-cited reason for rejecting pathology (after lack of patient interaction). There was poor understanding of the role of pathologists and low confidence in the ability to interpret histopathology reports among medical students and prevocational doctors. Negative stereotypes regarding pathologists were identified.
CONCLUSIONS.—: Active interventions increasing exposure of medical students and prevocational doctors to pathology as a career, as well as promotion of research opportunities and potential for work-life balance, are needed to address pending workforce shortages.
全球范围内，从事病理学职业的医学毕业生人数不断减少，导致劳动力需求与供应之间的差距不断扩大。
确定造成病理学职业不受欢迎的原因，并制定策略避免劳动力危机。
在线调查共收到 1247 份回复，其中包括来自 10 所医学院的 609 名澳大利亚医学生、新南威尔士州 10 家主要教学医院的 119 名预聘医生、175 名住院医师和 344 名澳大利亚病理学家。
与对病理学不感兴趣的同龄人相比，对病理学职业感兴趣的学生和预聘医生更有可能重视研究机会（166 名感兴趣的受访者中有 57 名[34.3%]，521 名不感兴趣的受访者中有 112 名[21.5%]；优势比[OR] = 1.91，P <.001），有孩子（165 名受访者中有 19 名[11.5%]，522 名受访者中有 22 名[4.2%]；OR = 2.96，P <.001），并自我认定为内向（167 名受访者中有 87 名[52.1%]，526 名受访者中有 179 名[34%]；OR = 2.1，P <.001）。对病理学不感兴趣的人更有可能重视与患者的互动（524 名受访者中有 363 名[69.3%]，166 名受访者中有 71 名[42.8%]；OR = 3.02，P <.001）。拒绝病理学的最主要原因是缺乏对病理学的了解（仅次于缺乏与患者的互动）。医学生和预聘医生对病理学家的角色缺乏了解，对解读组织病理学报告的能力缺乏信心。还确定了对病理学家的负面刻板印象。
需要采取积极措施增加医学生和预聘医生对病理学职业的了解，提供研究机会，并宣传工作与生活的平衡潜力，以解决即将出现的劳动力短缺问题。
