%0 Journal Article
%T Family Doctors Seen through the Eyes of Specialists: A Qualitative Study
%A Anna Probst
%A Iris Natanzon
%A Joachim Szecsenyi
%A Stefanie Joos
%J International Journal of Family Medicine
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/729473
%X Germany is facing a shortage of young family doctors. In search of possible reasons the aim of this study was to explore the perception of specialists on family doctors. Within a qualitative study 16 medical specialists from different fields in hospital and outpatient care setting were interviewed. Interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. Most of the interviewed specialists have a positive view on family doctors although a certain depreciative assumption is resonated in a number of statements. According to the specialists, family doctors enjoy a high status in public, even if social processes of change may have a negative influence on their rather old-fashioned image. Specialists find that family medicine is underrepresented in university education suffering from an upgrading of specialized disciplines. Altogether the majority of the interviewed specialists certify family doctors in Germany a positive image. Lecturer in medical education and training should be aware of their key role in the career choices of young trainees and avoid degradation or upgrading of certain medical disciplines. Interlinked measures on different levels focusing on the improvement of working conditions and representation at the universities would be needed to regain attractiveness for the family doctor's profession as a career choice for young doctors. 1. Introduction An intact inner-medical cooperation plays an essential role for proper care processes and thus the overall quality of care. However, tensions between different specialist groups are not rare, both in Germany and in other countries. Studies indicate that especially the relationship between family doctors and specialists is often troubled. Studies from Canada show that family doctors do not feel themselves respected enough by their medical professional colleagues [1]. US surveys among students reporting ˇ°badmouthingˇ± about family doctors indicate a similar tendency [2]. As of today in Germany there are hardly any studies on whether and how medical professional groups ˇ°talk badˇ± about each other or waste disrespectful remarks towards students about a different group of doctors. In a qualitative study with family doctors some of the interviewees reported about experiences, according to which specialists who work as teacher in a medical faculty or in postgraduate training, convey a negative image of family doctors to students [3, 4]. Not only for reasons of professionalism, but also with respect to the career choices of young physicians who might get influenced by such
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijfm/2013/729473/