Exploring the Factors That Impact Recruitment and Retention of Pediatricians in Irish Community Hospitals Through the Attitudes of Trainees and Physicians-in-Practice.

Background: Difficulty attracting physicians to work in rural and remote areas is a worldwide problem. Specific to pediatrics, barriers to recruitment include burdensome on-call rosters, a lack of career opportunities for partners and professional isolation.

Methods: To examine attitudes to working in a community hospital in Ireland, a mixed-methods sequential analysis approach was undertaken. Pediatricians-in training (70) and attending community pediatricians (25) completed surveys. Six semistructured interviews were used to triangulate survey results.

Results: Most trainees planned to stay in Ireland (66/70), with five (eight%) stating that a career in a community hospital was their first preference. Personal factors such as a partner's career prospects and closeness to family and friends were the most important deterrents to working in a community hospital for trainees. Both trainees and attendings were concerned regarding professional isolation. Trainees were concerned about the poor reputation of community units. This converged with attendings feeling their role was not adequately respected, even though their job had more variability and exposure to emergencies, with less support, than working in a large center. Both groups agreed that targeted postgraduate training pathways and better training opportunities within Ireland were the best way to improve recruitment. Financial bonuses were not highly ranked as potential incentives. Motivators for considering a career in community units included the desire to make an impact and to build something new. Concerns about job satisfaction, professional recognition, and limited support for service development were prevalent.

Conclusion: This study reveals critical challenges and motivators influencing the shortage of pediatricians in Irish community units. Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach, incorporating targeted training, support structures, and recognition to enhance recruitment and retention in these underserved areas. Insights from the Irish context could be applied to improve recruitment and retention of pediatricians in regions with similar contexts.