Factors Influencing Career Longevity in Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pediatric hospital medicine (PHM) is a growing field recently approved by the American Board of Pediatrics as a subspecialty. Understanding factors associated with hospitalist retention is important for workforce planning. Our objective for this study was to examine the proportion of pediatric hospitalists who remained in PHM over a 5-year period and identify factors associated with retention. METHODS: We used 2012 and 2016 data from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Pediatrician Life and Career Experience Study. Retention was defined as being a self-reported hospitalist on both surveys. χ2 tests were used to examine relationships between retention and variables within 3 categories: demographics, position-related factors, and factors related to stress and satisfaction. A multivariable logistic regression was used to further assess relationships between select factors and retention. RESULTS: In 2012, 206 of 1804 survey respondents were hospitalists (11%); 180 of these 206 individuals responded again in 2016, and 122 (68%) remained hospitalists. In the multivariable analysis, individuals earning ≥$175 000 were more likely than those earning less (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.26–12.25) and those more satisfied with their job were more likely than those less satisfied (aOR = 3.28; 95% CI: 1.22–8.80) to remain hospitalists. Respondents with more concern about educational debt were less likely than those less concerned to remain hospitalists over 5 years (aOR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.20–0.90). CONCLUSIONS: Two-thirds of early- to mid-career hospitalists remained in PHM 5 years later. Financial factors and job satisfaction appear to play an important role in retention; consideration should be given to the impact of these factors on the PHM workforce.