Predictors of Success and Satisfaction in the Practice of Psychiatry: A Preliminary Follow-up Study

Abstract

Background: Few studies have examined the predictors of psychiatrists' perceived success and personal satisfaction with their careers. The present study examines self-reported success and personal satisfaction with their careers in a cohort of psychiatrists followed for more than 20 years. Methods: A total of 29 psychiatrists, all of whom had participated in a study during their residency 21 to 24 years earlier, completed a self-report questionnaire. The first set of questions addressed the type and characteristics of their professional practice; the second set assessed aspects of their nonprofessional practice; and the third set assessed aspects of their nonprofessional, personal lifestyles. The personality traits of neuroticism and extraversion were assessed during the residency years and were used as predictors. Composite measures of self-perceived external success and personal satisfaction were computed. Regression models were constructed to determine the best predictors of these composite measures. Results: Neuroticism proved to be a significant predictor of external success but not of personal satisfaction, with higher scores predicting a lower rating of perceived external success. There were 2 practice characteristics—involvement with research and practising from an orientation other than psychoanalytic—that predicted perception of success. One personal lifestyle characteristic—the perception that one's nonprofessional life sustained professional life—also predicted perception of success. The best predictor of personal satisfaction was overall satisfaction with nonprofessional aspects of life. Conclusions: Personality, nonprofessional social support, and engaging in research are associated with greater perceived success and personal satisfaction with a career in psychiatry.