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Cardiology trainees working less than full time face challenges
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Fewer training opportunities and the potential for discrimination and bullying are some of the challenges faced by cardiology trainees who work less than full time, according to findings published in Heart.
“As a less than full-time trainee myself, I was keen to explore the demographic of this small group of trainees,” Rebecca Dobson, MBChB(Hons), a cardiology specialty trainee at the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in the U.K., told Cardiology Today. “The fact that only 4% of cardiology trainees elect to work less than full time compared to 15% of physician trainees may suggest that we have an issue with the facilitation of less than full-time training in the U.K. We wanted to delve deeper into this to identify the barriers to less than full-time work so that we can improve things for future trainees.”
The researchers analyzed data from a British Junior Cardiologists’ Association survey taken by less than full-time cardiology trainees (n = 17; 31% men). Most of the less than full-time trainees are training in a full-time post, with many of them aged 31 to 40 years.
Dobson and colleagues found that of the less than full-time trainees, 36.8% chose the HF subspecialty, 31.6% chose CV imaging and 10.5% chose intervention, device therapy and adult congenital heart disease. None chose electrophysiology.
“The more practical subspecialties such as coronary intervention and electrophysiology have very few, if any less than full-time trainees,” Dobson said in an interview. “The reasons for this are not entirely clear and require more investigation. Our findings suggest that training patterns need to change significantly in order to facilitate equitable, comprehensive training in practical subspecialties for those who elect to work less than full time.”
The researchers wrote that 30% of the less than full-time trainees feel they do not receive similar training compared with their full-time counterparts. Sixty percent of trainees reported having no regular administrative or research sessions.
Dobson and colleagues wrote that 71% of less than full-time trainees feel that they are treated differently due to their working status.
Among the trainees, 18% reported being bullied or discriminated against for working less than full time, the researchers wrote.
Some of the positive experiences less than full-time trainees reported included better work-life balance, support from supervisors and training program directors, and reduced stress levels.
Dobson and colleagues wrote that the British Junior Cardiologists’ Association is working to establish guidelines to assist in the development of equitable rosters and increase awareness of the rights of less than full-time trainees.
“We are potentially missing out on a great talent pool by effectively excluding less than full-time trainees from particular subspecialties,” Dobson told Cardiology Today. “Diverse and inclusive teams are proven to be more productive, effective and profitable, and therefore, why shouldn’t we make it our goal to achieve this in cardiology?” – by Earl Holland Jr.
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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