Part-time training in psychiatry: what trainees want

Abstract

The proportion of female medical graduates has steadily risen in the past decade. Although it may be argued that men should take on an equal share of the child-rearing and housekeeping roles of the housewife, there is evidence that women doctors are falling behind in their careers because of domestic pressures (Rhodes, 1990). Part-time work is perceived in theory as being a suitable option for women doctors with domestic commitments, but the number who choose this option in practice is surprisingly small. The following study sought to establish what demand there is for part-time training in psychiatry among junior doctors and whether what is on offer meets that demand.