Academic achievement, depression and anxiety during medical education predict the styles of success in a medical career: A 10-year longitudinal study

This longitudinal research program was supported by grants ST-50#1998-2006 and W-139#2009-2010, funded by the Medical University of Gdan´sk, Poland and the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

Aim: Our study investigated the styles of success in the medical career in young physicians, in comparison with the same subjects examined 4–10 years earlier. Methods: The participants were first studied when they applied to the medical university (1999). Questionnaires were sent to all students each year (2000–2005). Fifty-four medical doctors participated in the first phase of the study completed a questionnaire four years after graduation. The current questionnaire included measures of burnout, satisfaction with medicine as a career, quality of life (QOL) and postgraduate examination results. Previous questionnaires had included measures of academic achievement, depression and anxiety. Results: We can describe three different styles of success, which can be predicted during medical education. Physicians with the best professional competence have the lowest income. However, physicians with the lowest professional competence gain the highest income. Those with the highest QOL (general well-being and life satisfaction) have the lowest professional stress and vulnerability to burnout. Anxiety and academic achievement (during the second and fourth year of study) are the significant predictors of specific style belonging. Conclusions: Our results may be useful to medical school admissions and resident selection committees to identify candidates at risk for less satisfaction or less competence.

Maciej Walkiewicz