Background: New Zealand has an urgent need to train and retain obstetrics and gynaecology academics, and postgraduate training pathways are being considered.
Aims: To gauge registrar interest in an academic training position and an academic career; analyse the importance of various encouraging factors; and investigate how demographics, experience and encouragers may be associated with academic interest.
Methods: All obstetric and gynaecology registrars working in New Zealand were invited by their clinical directors to participate in an online survey in March-June 2011. Statistical analysis, using Fisher's Exact and chi-squared tests, was used to investigate how demographic, experience and encourager variables were associated with academic interest.
Results: Of the 58 participants, 46 were women, 32 were New Zealand medical graduates and 43 were on the training program. Over half (54%) indicated they would consider a 1-year rotating research/teaching position and 45% an academic career. The most important encouraging factors for academic work were interest, opportunity to balance clinical and academic roles, job flexibility (lifestyle and family) and a supportive academic environment. Women were nearly nine times more likely to consider academic training (OR 8.75, P = 0.007), and trainees were one-third as likely to consider it compared to non-trainees (OR 0.31, P = 0.073).
Conclusions: New Zealand has the unique ability to approach retention and training issues in a flexible and innovative manner which utilises international links. Clinical academic training positions should be set-up with quality supervision and support similar pay scales and the opportunity for simultaneous part-time clinical practice.
© 2012 The Authors ANZJOG © 2012 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.