Junior doctors face specific pressures related to their professional stage and development and can be at risk of poor health.
A confidential survey conducted in 2008 by the Australian Medical Association Council of Doctors in Training investigated the health and wellbeing of junior doctors.
There were 914 completed surveys: 71% of junior doctors were concerned about their own health, and 63% about the health of a colleague.
A majority of junior doctors met well established criteria for low job satisfaction (71%), burnout (69%) and compassion fatigue (54%).
The early stages of a medical career are demanding, and the health and wellbeing of junior doctors must be a personal priority, as well as the responsibility of the medical profession in general, to ensure a healthy medical workforce in the future.
Summary
Global health (GH) training is well established overseas (particularly in North America) and reflects an increasing focus on social accountability in medical education.
Despite significant interest among trainees, GH is poorly integrated with specialty training programs in Australia.
While there are numerous benefits from international rotations in resource‐poor settings, there are also risks to the host community, trainee and training provider.
Safe and effective placements rely on firm ethical foundations as well as strong and durable partnerships between Australian and overseas health services, educational institutions and GH agencies.
More formal systems of GH training in Australia have the potential to produce fellows with the skills and knowledge necessary to engage in regional health challenges in a global context.
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