The recent Medical Training Survey (MTS) 2021 voiced the opinions of more than half of doctors currently in training in Australia. The survey had a similar response rate to 2020 (55.1%), with just over 21,000 young practitioners answering the assessment.
While trainees reported positively on much of their training, workplace environment and culture continue to be areas that require further improvements.
Current training setting conditions
Total results showed high levels of satisfaction. 86% of trainees rated the quality of their clinical supervision very highly, and 80% strongly agreed they would recommend their current training position to other doctors. Nonetheless, these statistics are lower compared to last year results. In support of this trend, a lower percentage of trainees would recommend their current workplace as a place to train (79%), and only 34% felt that their College feedback was helpful.
Similar to the previous year's results, the average number of hours worked a week was 45.5. However, while more respondents received payment for unrostered overtime, the overtime did not positively impact their training.
Workplace environment and culture
Consistent with previous years, in 2021, medical trainees called out bullying and harassment in the workplace as a severe issue. Discouragingly, this trend has increased since last year. A higher percentage of respondents reported they had experienced or witnessed bullying, harassment and/or discrimination in their training place. At the same time, a lower number felt they could raise concerns about workplace culture with their employer or about toxic workplace behaviours.
MIPS' Support and Protection
MIPS is committed to supporting healthcare professionals' wellbeing and promoting honourable and discouraging irregular practices. Through our On-Demand education, we take an active approach in supporting practitioners to better manage their day-to-day working life, helping to avoid adverse patient outcomes. We also work with hospitals and education providers to complement their healthcare education programs.
MIPS also advises medical trainees to keep abreast of new relevant industry educational opportunities aimed at assisting them in protecting their physical and mental wellbeing while fostering positive, resilient, and robust relationships with their peers and patients.
Relevant MIPS Resources
Reading
- Countering the negative impact of bullying and harassment
- Major professional and personal risks for junior practitioners
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Health practitioners' mental health – an MDO’s perspective
- Ahpra self-reporting requirements
- Your wellbeing career and patient safety
- My job/my career – How to deal with challenges
- Maintaining Your Professional Profile
On-Demand webinars
- Managing Bullying and Harassment
- Colleagues in difficulty
- COVID-19: Protecting your assets
- The good, the bad, the ugly & your wellbeing
Any queries, contact MIPS
This information does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. Information is current as at the date published.
