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Vast majority of new doctors ‘enjoy their first year in the profession’

Eight in ten newly qualified doctors say they enjoyed their first year, while six in ten say they are excited about their future careers, according to a survey by MPS.

The survey of nearly 450 newly qualified doctors revealed that one third found the experience better than they had expected, despite the heavy workloads and lack of sleep.

Some 85% of those surveyed said they found not having enough time to give patients the care they need the most challenging part of the job.

Furthermore, 87% said they had experienced stress and anxiety in their first year.

This comes after a Pulse survery of 282 GP trainees found that 38% have considered abandoning their courses in the past year due to stress.

Dr Gordon McDavid, medicolegal adviser at MPS, said the findings were ‘encouraging’ but warned that some trainees may find ‘the reality of being a doctor may not match their expectations’.

He said: ‘It is vital all new doctors seek support from their supervisors, and take care of their health.’

He added that as a new cohort of junior doctors will start in the coming weeks, ‘it is important to build an environment which allows them to succeed and harness the enthusiasm new doctors have’.

He urged for support clinical leaders, peers and managers to ‘help prevent the loss of these hard-working and highly skilled doctors’.

Pulse reported last week that RCGP chair Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard complained that ‘negativity’ within the general practice profession is the worst she has ever known and urged GPs not to ‘vent’ in front of trainees.