Analysis Of The Status Quo And Influencing Factors On Obtaining Employment For Medical Graduates From Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital

Significant changes have taken place in job market for medical graduates as it witnessed, in recent years, the merging and expanded enrollment of higher education institutions, the shifted demand of potential employers, as well as a social environment that's changing, not the same as before. The outlook for the medical student's job is grim with an increase in the number of students confronting with difficulties in finding their jobs. By analyzing the employment status of the medical graduates from Fudan University Zhongshan hospital in the past four years, this research is aimed at understanding the present situation in the job market and analyzing the possible subjective and objective factors influencing on it. The research proposes advice that will not only help the graduate tackle better with this grim situation but also help the school authority and tutors more effective and specific in providing students with career guidance.The subjects of the research are the medical students both of 5-year bachelor program and 7-year master program graduated from Fudan University Zhongshan hospital ranging from 2007 to 2010.The method of the research is the quantitative analysis of different items in the employment status of subjects, including the places and institutions they choose for medical practice and their differences in students of different specialties. The data was collected via surveying the graduated medical students who graduated in both 2009 and 2010 by questionnaires, in order to understand their experiences, expectancy and influencing factors on obtaining employment. In addition, special attention was paid to those who had a delayed graduation and difficulty in finding jobs. Interviews and group discussions were arranged for them so as to reveal their evolution in mentality and its causes. Interviews were held with the personnel departments of several Shanghai-based hospitals in order to understand their demand for medical graduate students.All the data was collected and analyzed using EXCEL 2003, the results was presented as descriptive statics.Our research shows that the gross employment rate of graduates from 2007 to 2010 is 96.3%. The employment rate of graduate students of 7-year master program reaches 100% where as that of those of 5-year bachelor program is 82.1%, which is lower than the average employment rate of graduate student of bachelor programs in Shanghai, indicating difficulty in obtaining employment. Among all the subjects we investigated,84.7% now work in Shanghai and 99.8% work in urban areas, which leaves only 0.2% work in small towns while no one works in rural areas or health institutions at basic level.82.8% believes the ideal working place is in capital cities and municipalities.96.8% list tertiary hospitals as their first choice.71.3% are confused, worried and not so confident about their future.64.3% of those who participate in the Normative Training of Resident Physician in Shanghai 2010 are against this new policy.The conclusions of this research are as below. (1) Medical graduates are facing more difficulties in obtaining employment, especially students of 5-year bachelor program. The students are willing to choose from a greater variety of places and institutions but those tertiary hospitals in major cities remain their favorite. (2) The job market for medical graduates are affected by many factors. The objective factors include degrees, genders, birthplace and academic performance. The subjective factors include professionalism, competitiveness and career plan. The environmental factors include family financial status, social equity and demands of potential employers. (3) Students with the bachelor degree are not so competitive compared with students with a master degree. Poor academic performance that put the students at disadvantage, poor professionalism, unrealistic expectancy, intention to stay in major cities, critical demands of potential employers and not-fully-ensured social equity also contribute. (4) Medical students are generally lack of the confidence in their future career and prospect of the medical industry. In addition, they are not familiar with the Normative Training of Resident Physician in Shanghai, and they are not so supportive of this policy.Suggestions are as below. (1) Medical students should master medical knowledge and skills at school, harness their professionalism and plan the career properly to enhance their competitiveness in job hunting. (2) School authorities and tutors should provide career counseling and training more detailed and more tailored to different conditions of individual students. The tutors should help graduate students build up their confidence and encourage them to work in rural areas in West China and health institutions on the basic level. (3) National or local government can encourage medical graduates to work in community health center or rural areas with favorable incentives policies. (4) The implementation of the Normative Training of Resident Physician in Shanghai should be closely monitored, so that the results and benefit can be evaluated for further improvement.