Study developed to track pediatricians' experiences

(HealthDay)—A longitudinal study that will track the personal and professional experiences of early-career pediatricians has been developed. The details are published online July 27 in Pediatrics.

Mary Pat Frintner, M.S.P.H., from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in Elk Grove Village, Ill., and colleagues used a multipronged approach to develop the study methodology of the longitudinal Pediatrician Life and Career Experience Study (PLACES).

The researchers included two cohorts of U.S. pediatricians with residency graduation dates of 2002 to 2004 and 2009 to 2011. The process of recruitment into PLACES involved two stages. Firstly, a random sample was recruited from the target population; 41.2 percent of those selected to participate indicated positive interest in the study. Secondly, 93.7 percent of the interested participants (1,804 pediatricians) completed the first Annual Survey and were considered enrolled in PLACES. Compared with the target sample, participants were more likely to be female, members of the AAP, and graduates of U.S. medical schools. PLACES pediatricians will be surveyed twice per year.

"PLACES data will allow the AAP to examine career and life choices and transitions experienced by early-career pediatricians," the authors write.

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