Barriers to Pursuing Emergency Medicine Specialty Among Iranian General Practitioners: A Cross-Sectional Study
Introduction: Although emergency medicine is crucial globally, it remains underdeveloped in Iran, facing low recruitment rates. This study aimed to explore barriers deterring Iranian general practitioners (GPs) from pursuing emergency medicine as a specialty. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/aaem/index.php/AAEM/article/view/2607 |
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| author | farzaneh raaii Shahrad Tajaddini Amin Saberinia Mohammad Hossein Ahmadi Zarandi |
| author_facet | farzaneh raaii Shahrad Tajaddini Amin Saberinia Mohammad Hossein Ahmadi Zarandi |
| author_sort | farzaneh raaii |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Introduction: Although emergency medicine is crucial globally, it remains underdeveloped in Iran, facing low recruitment rates. This study aimed to explore barriers deterring Iranian general practitioners (GPs) from pursuing emergency medicine as a specialty.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Kerman, Iran, in 2023. Data were collected from GPs using a structured questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics and barriers to choosing emergency medicine. Statistical analyses, including chi-square and Mann-Whitney U-tests, were performed.
Results: 198 GPs were involved in this study. 95.5% of the participants cited a mismatch between income and workload as the primary deterrent, while high psychological stress (87.4%) and limited private sector opportunities (86.9%) were also significant barriers. Additionally, 82.8% reported high burnout levels, with frequent night shifts (81.8%) and long working hours (75.3%) as contributing factors. Demographic analysis showed younger GPs and those with fewer years since graduation perceived financial and emotional strains more strongly, indicating that early-career physicians may feel more vulnerable to these challenges. Further, GPs lacking emergency department experience rated career uncertainties higher, suggesting unfamiliarity with the field might amplify negative perceptions. Rural GPs emphasized high patient loads and exposure risks, while urban GPs noted stress from crowded settings.
Conclusion: Findings highlight financial and workload issues as major deterrents to choosing emergency medicine as a specialty. Addressing these concerns through better compensation, work-life balance improvements, and enhanced career prospects could attract more GPs to this specialty.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-91b24aad6c6b4d5d8cceed9dc42a1427 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2645-4904 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-91b24aad6c6b4d5d8cceed9dc42a14272025-07-17T05:28:34ZengShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesArchives of Academic Emergency Medicine2645-49042025-07-0113110.22037/aaemj.v13i1.2607Barriers to Pursuing Emergency Medicine Specialty Among Iranian General Practitioners: A Cross-Sectional Studyfarzaneh raaii0Shahrad Tajaddini 1Amin Saberinia 2Mohammad Hossein Ahmadi Zarandi 3Assistant Professor of Assessment and Measurement in Psychology Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine Shahid Beheshti Hospital Kerman University of Medical SciencesAssistant Professor of Clinical Toxicology Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine Afzalipour Hospital, Shahid Bahonar Hospital Kerman University of Medical SciencesAssociate Professor of Emergency Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine Health in Disasters and Emergencies Research Center Kerman University of Medical SciencesAfzalipour Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. Introduction: Although emergency medicine is crucial globally, it remains underdeveloped in Iran, facing low recruitment rates. This study aimed to explore barriers deterring Iranian general practitioners (GPs) from pursuing emergency medicine as a specialty. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Kerman, Iran, in 2023. Data were collected from GPs using a structured questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics and barriers to choosing emergency medicine. Statistical analyses, including chi-square and Mann-Whitney U-tests, were performed. Results: 198 GPs were involved in this study. 95.5% of the participants cited a mismatch between income and workload as the primary deterrent, while high psychological stress (87.4%) and limited private sector opportunities (86.9%) were also significant barriers. Additionally, 82.8% reported high burnout levels, with frequent night shifts (81.8%) and long working hours (75.3%) as contributing factors. Demographic analysis showed younger GPs and those with fewer years since graduation perceived financial and emotional strains more strongly, indicating that early-career physicians may feel more vulnerable to these challenges. Further, GPs lacking emergency department experience rated career uncertainties higher, suggesting unfamiliarity with the field might amplify negative perceptions. Rural GPs emphasized high patient loads and exposure risks, while urban GPs noted stress from crowded settings. Conclusion: Findings highlight financial and workload issues as major deterrents to choosing emergency medicine as a specialty. Addressing these concerns through better compensation, work-life balance improvements, and enhanced career prospects could attract more GPs to this specialty. https://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/aaem/index.php/AAEM/article/view/2607Emergency medicineGeneral practitionersBurnout, professionalOccupational stress |
| spellingShingle | farzaneh raaii Shahrad Tajaddini Amin Saberinia Mohammad Hossein Ahmadi Zarandi Barriers to Pursuing Emergency Medicine Specialty Among Iranian General Practitioners: A Cross-Sectional Study Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine Emergency medicine General practitioners Burnout, professional Occupational stress |
| title | Barriers to Pursuing Emergency Medicine Specialty Among Iranian General Practitioners: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Barriers to Pursuing Emergency Medicine Specialty Among Iranian General Practitioners: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Barriers to Pursuing Emergency Medicine Specialty Among Iranian General Practitioners: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Barriers to Pursuing Emergency Medicine Specialty Among Iranian General Practitioners: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Barriers to Pursuing Emergency Medicine Specialty Among Iranian General Practitioners: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | barriers to pursuing emergency medicine specialty among iranian general practitioners a cross sectional study |
| topic | Emergency medicine General practitioners Burnout, professional Occupational stress |
| url | https://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/aaem/index.php/AAEM/article/view/2607 |
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