Emergency medicine as a primary specialty—French emergency medicine residents’ attitudes

Abstract

Emergency medicine (EM) has been a fellowship program (supra-specialty) in France since 2004. Even though the program can be accessed after completion of one of several primary specialties, the vast majority (97%) of its residents enter the program after having completed training in family medicine. A change to develop a primary EM specialty is being discussed. Our objective was to assess French residents and young EM physicians' attitudes toward EM as a primary specialty. We conducted a brief cross-sectional online survey among young EM physicians and trainees in November and December 2012. There were 288 respondents to the survey. Forty-nine percent (n = 142) of respondents would have chosen EM if it was a primary specialty, but 73% (n = 209) prefer maintaining the status quo, offering EM training as a supra-specialty fellowship program. Workrelated quality of life was the main reason for those not choosing EM as a primary specialty. RÉSUMÉLa médecine d'urgence (MU) est un programme d'études postdoctorales (surspécialité) en France depuis 2004. Bien qu'il soit possible de suivre le programme après la fin des études dans une des nombreuses spécialités de base, la plupart (97 %) des résidents s'inscrivent au programme après avoir terminé leur formation en médecine familiale. Il sera donc question d'un changement visant à faire de la MU une spécialité de base. L'étude avait pour but d'évaluer l'attitude des résidents et de jeunes urgentologues français à l'égard de la MU comme spécialité de base. Une brève enquête transversale a été menée en ligne parmi de jeunes urgentologues et des stagiaires, en novembre et en décembre 2012; il y a eu 288 répondants. Quarante-neuf pour cent (n = 142) d'entre eux ont indiqué qu'ils auraient choisi la MU si elle avait été une spécialité de base; néanmoins, 73 % (n = 209) des répondants ont déclaré préférer la situation actuelle, c'est-à-dire considérer la MU comme une surspécialité et suivre la formation en programme d'études postdoctorales. La qualité de vie liée au travail était le principal motif invoqué pour ne pas choisir la MU comme spécialité de base.

A pilot study of quality of life in German prehospital emergency care physicians

“…In Brazil, a Short-Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) showed that emergency physicians had worse scores in the pain domain (an aspect of psychological health). [613] Such mental burdens and compassion fatigue were similar across physician specialties (including surgical and medical) in the USA and were found to lead to traumatic stress. [14] A recent pilot study from Canada examining the quality of work life (QWL) showed that emergency department physician in rural emergency departments have an average QWL with lower QWL in the subscales “support offered to employees” and working conditions reflected in the subscale “human and material resources.”[15] It was concluded that these domains possibly constitute psychosocial risk factors, which suggests the need for interventions.…”

Emergency medicine specialization: the French and Belgian perspective

“…Compared to former regimens, the primary specialty allows emergency medicine residents to be fully trained on the wide range of clinical situations we face in the emergency department (ED) but also in emergency medical communication centers (EMCC, i.e. medical dispatch centers, SAMU in French) or in mobile intensive care units (MICU) [2,3].…”