Review article
Employment Outcomes among Junior Researchers in Medicine in Croatia
Marko Petrovečki
; Medical student, University School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Ljiljana Smiljanić
; Medical student, University School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Mario Trošelj
; Croatian National Institute for Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Ozren Polašek
; Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Aim To investigate fellowship outcomes among junior researchers in
medicine, supported by the Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports
of the Republic of Croatia. Methods We used the data on junior researchers whose fellowships terminated between 1999 and 2005. Employment outcomes and scientific productivity, measured by the number of published articles indexed in the Web of Science database, were analyzed for every junior researcher. The data were analyzed using χ2 test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Breslow test, and logistic regression. Results Only 12% of junior researchers obtained a degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) during fellowship. At the same time, 55% of junior researchers with a Medical Doctor degree terminated the fellowship and
got employed in the health system during the same month. Terminating
and re-employing in same month was most common among junior
researchers who got employed by clinics and hospitals (odds ratio, 7.78; 95% confidence interval, 2.22-27.24). Also, it was less common among female than male junior researchers (odds ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.90).
Conclusion This study suggests that junior researchers in medicine
commonly used their fellowship as a short-term employment option.
The direct consequence of this is the low percentage of obtained PhD
degrees during the fellowship period. Additionally, this article provides
an insight into the current status and future of the fellowship programs in medicine, with special emphasis placed on the potential changes that might occur as a consequence of physician shortage in Croatia.
Keywords
research fellow; doctoral degree; scientific production; employment; human resources
Hrčak ID:
26097
URI
Publication date:
15.2.2008.
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