Physician's perceptions regarding the pharmaceutical industry: a Brazilian national study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the newly graduated physicians' attitudes and perceptions regarding the medical relationship with the pharmaceutical industry and identify the sociodemographic patterns related to such thinking. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was administered to 4,601 participants selected from a pool of 16,323 physicians who were registered with one of the 27 Regional Medical Councils of Brazil in 2015. Answers were analyzed using two stratification variables: type of medical school (public vs. private) and the sex of the respondents. RESULTS: Out of the participants, 61.8% believed that industry funding could support medical conferences and education, and 48.4% felt that small gifts and conference travel funding were acceptable. Conversely, 64.7% disagreed with industry-sponsored social events. Views on whether pharmaceutical representatives' visits influenced prescriptions were divided. Statistically significant differences were observed between genders and medical school types, with men and private school graduates being more accepting of certain industry interactions. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the nuanced attitudes of new doctors toward industry relationships, indicating the need for clearer ethical guidelines and education in medical schools to align practice with evolving societal values.

Physician's perceptions regarding the pharmaceutical industry: a Brazilian national study

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the newly graduated physicians' attitudes and perceptions regarding the medical relationship with the pharmaceutical industry and identify the sociodemographic patterns related to such thinking. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was administered to 4,601 participants selected from a pool of 16,323 physicians who were registered with one of the 27 Regional Medical Councils of Brazil in 2015. Answers were analyzed using two stratification variables: type of medical school (public vs. private) and the sex of the respondents. RESULTS: Out of the participants, 61.8% believed that industry funding could support medical conferences and education, and 48.4% felt that small gifts and conference travel funding were acceptable. Conversely, 64.7% disagreed with industry-sponsored social events. Views on whether pharmaceutical representatives' visits influenced prescriptions were divided. Statistically significant differences were observed between genders and medical school types, with men and private school graduates being more accepting of certain industry interactions. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the nuanced attitudes of new doctors toward industry relationships, indicating the need for clearer ethical guidelines and education in medical schools to align practice with evolving societal values.

Perception of newly graduated physicians toward ethical education in medical schools: a Brazilian cross-sectional nationwide study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate fresh medical graduates' perceptions regarding the general aspects of ethics teaching in Brazilian medical schools. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was applied to 4,601 participants among the 16,323 physicians who registered in one of the 27 Regional Medical Councils of Brazil in 2015. Answers to four questions regarding general aspects of ethics education in medical school were analyzed. Sampling procedures involved two stratification variables: legal nature (public vs. private) of medical schools and monthly household income higher than 10 minimum wages. RESULTS: A large percentage of the participants had witnessed unethical behaviors during contact with patients (62.0%), toward coworkers (51.5%), and in relationships with patients' families (34.4%) over the course of their medical training. Even though most of the responders (72.0%) totally agreed that patient-physician relationship and humanities education were part of their medical school curriculum, important topics such as conflicts of interest and end-of-life education were not satisfactorily addressed in the participants' medical training. Statistically significant differences were found between the answers of public and private school graduates. CONCLUSION: Despite great efforts to improve medical ethics education, our findings suggest the persistence of deficits and inadequacies in the ethics training currently given in medical schools in Brazil. Further modifications in ethics training must be made to address the deficiencies shown in this study. This process should be accompanied by continuous evaluation.

Effects of individual and organizational factors on job tenure of primary care physicians: A multilevel analysis from Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The short tenure of primary care physicians undermines the continuity of care, compromising health outcomes in low-, middle and in high-income countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the contextual and individual factors associated with the tenure of physician in Primary Health Care (PHC) services. We consider individual-level sociodemographic variables such as education and work-related variables, as well as the characteristics of employers and services. METHODS: This study is a retrospective cohort study of 2,335 physicians in 284 Primary Health Care Units across the São Paulo, Brazil, public health care system from 2016 to 2020. A multivariate hierarchical model was selected, and an adjusted Cox regression with multilevel analysis was employed. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist was used to report the findings from the study. RESULTS: The average physician tenure was 14.54 ± 12.89 months, and the median was 10.94 months. Differences between Primary Health Care Units accounted for 10.83% of the variance observed in the outcome, while the employing organizations were responsible for only 2.30%. The physician characteristics associated with higher tenure in PHC were age at hire, i.e., being between 30 and 60 years old, [HR: 0.84, 95% CI: (0.75-0.95)] and professional experience over five years [HR: 0.76, 95% CI: (0.59-0.96)]. Specialties not related to PHC practices were associated with a short tenure [HR: 1.25, 95% CI: (1.02-1.54)]. CONCLUSION: Differences between Primary Health Care Units and in the individual characteristics, such as specializations and experience, are related to the low tenure of professionals, but such characteristics can be changed through investments in PHC infrastructure and changes in work conditions, policies, training, and human resource policies. Finding a remedy for the short tenure of physicians is essential for guaranteeing a robust PHC system that can contribute to universal, resilient, and proactive health care.

Perception of newly graduated physicians toward ethical education in medical schools: a Brazilian cross-sectional nationwide study

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate fresh medical graduates' perceptions regarding the general aspects of ethics teaching in Brazilian medical schools. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was applied to 4,601 participants among the 16,323 physicians who registered in one of the 27 Regional Medical Councils of Brazil in 2015. Answers to four questions regarding general aspects of ethics education in medical school were analyzed. Sampling procedures involved two stratification variables: legal nature (public vs. private) of medical schools and monthly household income higher than 10 minimum wages. RESULTS: A large percentage of the participants had witnessed unethical behaviors during contact with patients (62.0%), toward coworkers (51.5%), and in relationships with patients' families (34.4%) over the course of their medical training. Even though most of the responders (72.0%) totally agreed that patient-physician relationship and humanities education were part of their medical school curriculum, important topics such as conflicts of interest and end-of-life education were not satisfactorily addressed in the participants' medical training. Statistically significant differences were found between the answers of public and private school graduates. CONCLUSION: Despite great efforts to improve medical ethics education, our findings suggest the persistence of deficits and inadequacies in the ethics training currently given in medical schools in Brazil. Further modifications in ethics training must be made to address the deficiencies shown in this study. This process should be accompanied by continuous evaluation.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physicians' Working Hours and Earnings in São Paulo and Maranhão States, Brazil.

Evidence exists on the health impacts of the current COVID-19 pandemic on health workers, but less is known about its impact on their work dynamics and livelihoods. This matters, as health workers-and physicians in particular-are a scarce and expensive resource in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Our cross-sectional survey set out to explore changes in working hours and earnings during the second year of the pandemic in a representative sample of 1183 physicians in Brazil's São Paulo (SP) and Maranhão (MA) states. Descriptive analysis and inferential statistics were employed to explore differences in working hours and earnings among public and private sector physicians across the two locations. The workloads and earnings of doctors working exclusively in the public sector increased the most in the second year of the epidemic, particularly in MA. Conversely, the largest proportion of private-only doctors in our sample saw a decrease in their working hours (48.4%, 95% CI 41.8-55.0), whereas the largest proportion of public-only doctors in MA saw an increase in their working hours (44.4%, 95% CI 38.0-50.8). Although earnings remained broadly stable in the public sector, a third of public sector-only physicians in MA saw an increase in their earnings (95% CI 24.4-36.2). More than half of private-only doctors across both states saw a decrease in their earnings (52.2%, 95% CI 45.6-58.8). The largest proportion of dual practitioners (the majority in Brazil and in our sample) maintained their pre-pandemic levels of income (38.8%, 95% CI 35.3-42.3). As public-sector doctors have been key in the fight against the pandemic, it is critical to invest in these cadres in order to develop epidemic preparedness in LMICs, and to find new ways to harness for-profit actors to deliver social benefits.

Judicialização dos planos e seguros de saúde privados / Judicialization of private health plans and insurance

Esta edição especial da Revista de Direito Sanitário apresenta os resultados inéditos de pesquisas realizadas pelo Grupo de Estudos sobre Planos de Saúde, do Departamento de Medicina Preventiva da Faculdade de Medicina e do Centro de Estudos e Pesquisas de Direito Sanitário (Cepedisa) da Faculdade de Saúde Pública, ambos da Universidade de São Paulo.

This special issue of the Revista de Direito sanitário presents the unpublished results of the research carried out by the Study Group on Private Health Plans, of the Department of Preventive Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine and the Center for Studies and Research in Health Law, of the Faculty of Public Health, of the Universidade de São Paulo.

Evolution of Gender Disparities Among Brazilian Surgical, Anesthesia, and Obstetric Providers.

INTRODUCTION: Since 2010, most graduating physicians in Brazil have been female, nevertheless gender disparities among surgical specialties still exist. This study aims to explore whether the increase in female physicians has translated to increased female representation among surgical specialties in Brazil. METHODS: Data on gender, years of practice, and specialty was extracted from Demografia Médica do Brasil, from 2015 to 2020. The percentage of women across 18 surgical, anesthesia, and obstetric (SAO) specialties and the relative increases in female representation during the study period were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 18 SAO specialties studied, 16 (88%) were predominantly male (>50%). Only obstetrics/gynecology and breast surgery showed a female predominance, with 58% and 52%, respectively. Urology, neurosurgery, and orthopedic surgery and traumatology were the three specialties with the largest presence of men - and the lowest absolute growth in the female workforce from 2015 to 2020. CONCLUSIONS: In Brazil, where significant gender disparities persist, women are still underrepresented in surgical specialties. Female presence is predominant in surgical specialties dedicated to the care of female patients, while it remains poor in those with male patient dominance. Over the last 5 y, the proportion of women working in SAO specialties has grown, but not as much as in nonsurgical specialties. Future studies should focus on investigating the causes of gender disparities in Brazil to understand and tackle the barriers to pursuing surgical specialties.

Onde trabalham os médicos formados na Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo? Um estudo transversal observacional / Where do doctors graduated from the Medical School of the University of São Paulo work? An observational cross-sectional study

Conhecer a inserção e a atuação dos profissionais de saúde depois de formados contribui para o aprimoramento das instituições formadoras e para o planejamento de políticas públicas de educação e saúde. O objetivo do presente estudo é avaliar a inserção no mercado de trabalho e no sistema de saúde dos médicos formados pela Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo nos anos de 1999, 2000, 2009 e 2010. Para as características demográficas e de formação dos médicos foi utilizada a base de dados do estudo Demografia Médica no Brasil. Os dados sobre vínculos de trabalho foram extraídos de 4 plataformas digitais, e permitiram caracterizar a inserção dessa população: Plataforma Lattes, Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde, LinkedIn e Doctoralia. Dos 602 médicos estudados, 63,1% eram homens, com idade média de 44,7 anos; a maioria trabalhava em dupla prática pública e privada, enquanto uma minoria, apenas no Sistema Único de Saúde. O vínculo mais frequente foi com hospitais e houve baixa frequência de médicos na atenção primária. Manter a capacidade de formar especialistas em áreas fundamentais, além de fomentar vocações para a atenção primária, essencial ao sistema de saúde, é um desafio curricular e institucional a ser repensado. O estudo pode ser reproduzido para acompanhar a inserção profissional e o retorno social dos recursos humanos em saúde egressos de instituições de ensino

Understanding the insertion of health professionals after graduation contributes to the improvement of educational institutions and planning of public health and education policies. The objective of this study is to evaluate the insertion in the job market and in the healthcare system of University of São Paulo Medical School alumni graduated in 1999, 2000, 2009 and 2010. The database from the Brazilian Medical Demographic study was used to collect individual data of the subjects. Their employment bonds were extracted from four digital platforms, which were effective in characterizing their work insertion: Lattes platform, National Registry of Health Institutions, LinkedIn and Doctoralia. Of the 602 doctors analyzed, 63.1% were men, the mean age was 44.7 years and the majority worked both in the public and private health sectors, while a minority worked exclusively at the Unified Health System. The most common workplace were hospitals and there was a low percentage of doctors in Primary Health Care. Maintaining the ability to train specialists in key areas while also promoting careers in primary care, which are essential to the healthcare system, is a curricular and institutional challenge that needs to be tackled. This study may be reproduced to monitor the professional insertion and the social return of human resources for health among health institution's alumni

Médicos e terceirização: percepções de trabalhadores e gestores sobre as transformações recentes no mercado de trabalho / Doctors and outsourcing: perceptions of workers and managers on recent transformations in the labor market / Médicos y tercerización: percepciones de trabajadores y directivos sobre los cambios recientes en el mercado laboral

Resumo O artigo examina as tendências recentes da forma de inserção dos médicos no mercado de trabalho à luz da regulação das relações trabalhistas na percepção de informantes-chave que atuam nos setores público e privado do sistema de saúde no estado de São Paulo. O estudo mostrou que, na percepção dos entrevistados, há uma tendência crescente de inserção de médicos como pessoa jurídica condicionada pela regulação das relações de trabalho e pela política de contratação dos estabelecimentos provedores de serviços de assistência à saúde. Em geral, a 'pejotização' de médicos foi associada à perda de autonomia desses profissionais em relação aos termos de contratação e às condições de realização do trabalho. O artigo conclui que a inserção 'pejotizada' de médicos se apresenta como parte do movimento mais geral de barateamento da força de trabalho associado à terceirização, e indica que há espaço para a exploração de políticas voltadas à gestão de trabalhadores que busquem atrair e fixar médicos no Sistema Único de Saúde.

Abstract The article examines recent trends in the way doctors enter the labor market in the light of the regulation of labor relations in the perception of key informants who work in the public and private sectors of the health system in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The study showed that, in the perception of the interviewees, there is a growing trend of insertion of doctors as a legal entity conditioned by the regulation of labor relations and the contracting policy of establishments providing health care services. In general, the 'pejotização' (hiring free of labor rights/illegal hiring) of doctors was associated with the loss of autonomy of these professionals in relation to the terms of employment and the conditions for performing the work. The article concludes that the illegal hiring and insertion of doctors is presented as part of the more general movement of cheapening the workforce associated with outsourcing, and indicates that there is room for the exploitation of policies aimed at the management of workers who seek to attract and fix doctors in the Unified Health System.

Resumen El artículo examina las tendencias recientes acerca de como se dá la inserción de los médicos en el mercado de trabajo, a la luz de la regulación de las relaciones laborales, en la percepción de informantes clave que actúan en los sectores público y privado del sistema de salud del estado de São Paulo, Brasil. El estudio mostró que, en la percepción de los entrevistados, existe una tendencia creciente hacia la inclusión de los médicos como persona jurídica condicionada por la regulación de las relaciones laborales y por la política de contratación de los establecimientos que prestan servicios de asistencia a la salud. En general, la 'pejotización' de los médicos estuvo asociada a la pérdida de autonomía de estos profesionales en relación a los términos de contratación y a las condiciones de ejercicio del trabajo. El artículo concluye que la inserción 'pejotizada' de los médicos se presenta como parte del movimiento más general de abaratamiento de la mano de obra asociado a la tercerización, e indica que hay espacio para la exploración de políticas dirigidas a la gestión de trabajadores que busquen atraer y retener a los médicos en el Sistema Único de Salud.

Flexibilização legislativa para a certificação de hospitais sem fins lucrativos no Brasil / Legislative flexibilization for cerification of non-profits hospitals in Brazil

Para as entidades beneficentes de assistência social que prestam serviços ao Sistema Único de Saúde, a Constituição Federal de 1988 previu a concessão de imunidade tributária, desde que atendidos os requisitos previstos em lei. Ocorre que há uma primeira dificuldade em estabelecer os conceitos de entidade filantrópica e entidade beneficente de assistência social, bem como as diferenças entre eles. O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar uma revisão e uma reflexão sobre a diferença doutrinária entre os conceitos de filantropia e beneficência social, discutir o processo histórico de certificação dos hospitais sem fins lucrativos que prestam serviços ao Sistema Único de Saúde para obtenção de imunidade tributária e identificar as consequências disso para a seguridade social (previdência, saúde e assistência social) no Brasil. Esta reflexão se faz de suma importância, principalmente em momentos de escassez de recursos financeiros em que há tentativas de fragilizar o sistema de seguridade social do país. A Constituição Federal de 1988 adotou o termo "entidade beneficente de assistência social" para a concessão de imunidade tributária, conceito que se distingue do de filantropia por envolver três características essenciais da assistência social: serviços de natureza essencial, gratuidade e acesso generalizado a quem necessita. Essa ampliação de conceito e as flexibilizações legislativas ocorridas ao longo dos anos para permitir a concessão de certificado ­ e, consequentemente, a obtenção de imunidade tributária ­ prejudicam a arrecadação de recursos para a seguridade social e podem ocasionar desvantagens para o Sistema Único de Saúde.

For charitable social assistance entities that provide services to the Brazilian Nacional Health System, the Federal Constitution of 1988 provided for the concession of tax immunity, as long as the requirements established by Law were met. There is a first difficulty in establishing the concepts of philanthropic entity and charitable entity of social assistance, as well as the differences between them. The objective of this paper was to conduct a review and a reflection on the doctrinal difference between the concepts of philanthropy and social charity, discuss the historical process of certification of non-profit hospitals that provide services to the Brazilian National Health System, to obtain tax immunity and identify the consequences of this for social security (pension, health and social assistance). This reflection is of utmost importance, especially in times of scarcity of financial resources, in which there are attempts to weaken the social security system of the country. The Federal Constitution of 1988 adopted the term "social assistance beneficent entity" for the concession of tax immunity, a concept that is distinguished from philanthropy because it involves three essential characteristics of social assistance: services of an essential nature, gratuitousness, and generalized access to those in need. This broadening of the concept and the legislative flexibilities that have occurred over the years to allow the concession of the certificates - and, consequently, the obtainment of tax immunity - impairs the collection of resources for social security and can cause disadvantages for the Brazilian National Health System.

How the 'plates' of a health system can shift, change and adjust during economic recessions: A qualitative interview study of public and private health providers in Brazil's São Paulo and Maranhão states.

BACKGROUND: Economic recessions carry an impact on population health and access to care; less is known on how health systems adapt to the conditions brought by a downturn. This particularly matters now that the COVID-19 epidemic is putting health systems under stress. Brazil is one of the world's most affected countries, and its health system was already experiencing the aftermath of the 2015 recession. METHODS: Between 2018 and 2019 we conducted 46 semi-structured interviews with health practitioners, managers and policy-makers to explore the impact of the 2015 recession on public and private providers in prosperous (São Paulo) and impoverished (Maranhão) states in Brazil. Thematic analysis was employed to identify drivers and consequences of system adaptation and coping strategies. Nvivo software was used to aid data collection and analysis. We followed the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research to provide an account of the findings. RESULTS: We found the concept of 'health sector crisis' to be politically charged among healthcare providers in São Paulo and Maranhão. Contrary to expectations, the public sector was reported to have found ways to compensate for diminishing federal funding, having outsourced services and adopted flexible-if insecure-working arrangements. Following a drop in employment and health plans, private health insurance companies have streamlined their offer, at times at the expenses of coverage. Low-cost walk-in clinics were hit hard by the recession, but were also credited for having moved to cater for higher-income customers in Maranhão. CONCLUSIONS: The 'plates' of a health system may shift and adjust in unexpected ways in response to recessions, and some of these changes might outlast the crisis. As low-income countries enter post-COVID economic recessions, it will be important to monitor the adjustments taking place in health systems, to ensure that past gains in access to care and job security are not eroded.

How many and which physicians? A comparative study of the evolution of the supply of physicians and specialist training in Brazil and Spain.

BACKGROUND: In the face of the medical workforce shortage, several countries have promoted the opening of medical schools and the expansion of undergraduate and specialization education in medicine. Few studies have compared the characteristics and effects of expanding the supply of general practitioners and specialist physicians between countries. Brazil and Spain, two countries with distinct historical processes and socioeconomic scenarios, yet both with universal public health systems and common aspects in training and medical work, have registered a significant increase in the number of physicians and can be used to understand the challenges of strategic planning for the medical workforce. METHODS: This study provides a descriptive approach using longitudinal data from official databases in Brazil and Spain from 1998 to 2017. Among the comparable indicators, the absolute numbers of physicians, the population size, and the physician's ratio by inhabitants were used. The number of medical schools and undergraduate places in public and private institutions, the supply of residency training posts, and the number of medical specialists and medical residents per 100 000 inhabitants were also used to compare both countries. Seventeen medical specialties with the highest number of specialists and comparability between the two countries were selected for further comparison. RESULTS: Due to the opening of medical schools, the density of physicians per 1 000 inhabitants grew by 28% in Spain and 51% in Brazil between 1998 and 2017. In that period, Spain and Brazil increased the supply of annual undergraduate places by 60% and 137%, respectively. There is a predominance of private institutions providing available undergraduate places, and the supply of medical residency posts is smaller than the contingent of medical graduates/general practitioners each year. CONCLUSION: Both countries have similar specialist densities in cardiology, dermatology, and neurosurgery specialties. However, family medicine and community in Spain has 91.27 specialists per 100 000 inhabitants, while in Brazil, the density is only 2.64. The comparative study indicated the complexity of the countries' decisions on increasing the medical supply of general practitioners and specialist physicians. Research and planning policies on the medical workforce must be aligned with the actual health needs of populations and health systems.

The role of private education in the selection of primary care careers in low and middle-income countries. Findings from a representative survey of medical residents in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Primary health care (PHC) doctors' numbers are dwindling in high- as well as low-income countries, which is feared to hamper the achievement of Universal Health Coverage goals. As a large proportion of doctors are privately educated and private medical schools are becoming increasingly common in middle-income settings, there is a debate on whether private education represents a suitable mean to increase the supply of PHC physicians. We analyse the intentions to practice of medical residents in Brazil to understand whether these differ for public and private schools. METHODS: Drawing from the literature on the selection of medical specialties, we constructed a model for the determinants of medical students' intentions to practice in PHC, and used secondary data from a nationally representative sample of 4601 medical residents in Brazil to populate it. Multivariate analysis and multilevel cluster models were employed to explore the association between perspective physicians' choice of practice and types of schools attended, socio-economic characteristics, and their values and opinions on the profession. RESULTS: Only 3.7% of residents in our sample declared an intention to practice in PHC, with no significant association with the public or private nature of the medical schools attended. Instead, having attended a state secondary school (p = 0.028), having trained outside Brazil's wealthy South East (p < 0.001), not coming from an affluent family (p = 0.037), and not having a high valuation of career development opportunities (p < 0.001) were predictors of willingness to practice in PHC. A low consideration for quality of life, for opportunities for treating patients, and for the liberal aspects of the profession were also associated with future physicians' intentions to work in primary care (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In Brazil, training in public or private medical schools does not influence the intention to practice in PHC. But students from affluent backgrounds, with private secondary education, and graduating in the rich South East were found to be overrepresented in both types of training institutions, and this is what appears to negatively impact the selection of PHC careers. With a view to increasing the supply of PHC practitioners in middle-income countries, policies should focus on opening medical schools in rural areas and improving access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Who and Where are the University of São Paulo Medical School Graduates?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a complex-care-based medical school in the context of the Brazilian health care system on students' career choices. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study based on medical regulatory organization records. It included records for 7,419 physicians who graduated from FMUSP. Geographic data were analyzed using Kernel maps, and the statistical analysis was performed with SPSS® version 24.0. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Of the 7,419 physicians, 68.6% (95% CI 67.5-69.7) were male, and 20.7% (95% CI 19.8%-21.7%) had no medical specialty, compared to 46.4% nationwide. Internal medicine and surgery-based specialties were more popular, accounting for 39.4% (95% CI 38.3%-40.5%) and 16.8% (95% CI 15.5%-17.6%) of our study group, compared to the Brazilian averages of 25.9% and 13.5%. Our graduates also had a higher probability of staying in São Paulo City, especially when born outside the city. CONCLUSION: We believe that FMUSP remains an interesting model for studying the impact of a highly specialized center on the education and career choices of medical students.

What explains wage differences between male and female Brazilian physicians? A cross-sectional nationwide study.

OBJECTIVE: In many countries an increase in the number of women in medicine is accompanied by gender inequality in various aspects of professional practice. Women in medical workforce usually earn less than their male counterparts. The aim of this study was to describe the gender wage difference and analyse the associated factors in relation to Brazil's physicians. PARTICIPANTS: 2400 physicians. SETTING: Nationwide, cross-sectional study conducted in 2014. METHODS: Data were collected via a telephone enquiry. Sociodemographic and work characteristics were considered factors, and monthly wages (only the monthly earnings based on a medical profession) were considered as the primary outcome. A hierarchical multiple regression model was used to study the factors related to wage differences between male and female physicians. The adjustment of different models was verified by indicators of residual deviance and the Akaike information criterion. Analysis of variance was used to verify the equality hypothesis subsequently among the different models. RESULTS: The probability of men receiving the highest monthly wage range is higher than women for all factors. Almost 80% of women are concentrated in the three lowest wage categories, while 51% of men are in the three highest categories. Among physicians working between 20 and 40 hours a week, only 2.7% of women reported receiving >US$10 762 per month, compared with 13% of men. After adjustment for work characteristics in the hierarchical multiple regression model, the gender variable estimations (ß) remained, with no significant modifications. The final effect of this full model suggests that the probability of men receiving the highest salary level (≥US$10 762) is 17.1%, and for women it is 4.1%. Results indicate that a significant gender wage difference exists in Brazil. CONCLUSION: The inequality between sexes persisted even after adjusting for working factors such as weekly workload, number of weekly on-call shifts, physician office work, length of practice and specialisation.

Profiling recent medical graduates planning to pursue surgery, anesthesia and obstetrics in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Lack of providers in surgery, anesthesia, and obstetrics (SAO) is a primary driver of limited surgical capacity worldwide. We aimed to identify predictors of entry into Surgery, Anesthesia, and Obstetrics and Gynecology (SAO) fields and preference of working in the public sector in Brazil which may help in profiling medical students for recruitment into these needed areas. METHODS: A questionnaire was applied to all Brazilian medical graduates registered with a Board of Medicine from 2014 to 2015. Twenty-three characteristics were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors' influence on outcome. RESULTS: There were 4601 (28.2%) responders to the survey, of which 40.5% (CI 34.7-46.5%) plan to enter SAO careers. Of the 23 characteristics analyzed, eight differed significantly between those who planned to work in SAO and those who did not. Of those eight characteristics, just three were significant predictors in the regression model: preference for working in the hospital setting, having spent more than 70% of their clinical years in practical activities, and valuing the substantial earning potential. These three factors explained only 6.3% of the variance in SAO preference. Within the graduates who preferred SAO careers, there were only two predictors for working in the public sector ("preparatory time before medical school" and valuing "prestige/status"). CONCLUSIONS: Factors affecting specialty and sector choice are multifaceted and difficult to predict. Future programs to fill provider gaps should identify methods other than medical student profiling to assure specialty and sector needs are met.

Who and Where are the University of São Paulo Medical School Graduates?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a complex-care-based medical school in the context of the Brazilian health care system on students' career choices. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study based on medical regulatory organization records. It included records for 7,419 physicians who graduated from FMUSP. Geographic data were analyzed using Kernel maps, and the statistical analysis was performed with SPSS® version 24.0. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Of the 7,419 physicians, 68.6% (95% CI 67.5-69.7) were male, and 20.7% (95% CI 19.8%-21.7%) had no medical specialty, compared to 46.4% nationwide. Internal medicine and surgery-based specialties were more popular, accounting for 39.4% (95% CI 38.3%-40.5%) and 16.8% (95% CI 15.5%-17.6%) of our study group, compared to the Brazilian averages of 25.9% and 13.5%. Our graduates also had a higher probability of staying in São Paulo City, especially when born outside the city. CONCLUSION: We believe that FMUSP remains an interesting model for studying the impact of a highly specialized center on the education and career choices of medical students.

Internal migration of physicians who graduated in Brazil between 1980 and 2014.

BACKGROUND: The internal migration of physicians from one place to another in the same country can unbalance the supply and distribution of these professionals in national health systems. In addition to economic, social and demographic issues, there are individual and professional factors associated with a physician's decision to migrate. In Brazil, there is an ongoing debate as to whether opening medicine programmes in the interior of the country can induce physicians to stay in these locations. This article examines the migration of physicians in Brazil based on the location of the medical schools from which they graduated. METHODS: A cross-sectional design based on secondary data of 275,801 physicians registered in the Regional Councils of Medicine (Conselhos Regionais de Medicina-CRMs) who graduated between 1980 and 2014. The evaluated outcome was migration, which was defined as moving away from the state where they completed the medicine programme to another state where they currently work or live. RESULTS: 57.3% of the physicians in the study migrated. The probability of migration ratio was greater in small grouped municipalities and lower in state capitals. 93.4% of the physicians who trained in schools located in cities with less than 100,000 inhabitants migrated. Fewer women (54.2%) migrated than men (60.0%). More than half of the physicians who graduated between 1980 and 2014 are in federative units different from the unit in which they graduated. Individual factors, such as age, gender, time of graduation and specialty, vary between the physicians who did or did not migrate. CONCLUSIONS: The probability of migration ratio was greater in small municipalities of the Southeast region and strong in the states of Tocantins, Acre and Santa Catarina. New studies are recommended to deepen understanding of the factors related to the internal migration and non-migration of physicians to improve human resource for health policies.

Physician's sociodemographic profile and distribution across public and private health care: an insight into physicians' dual practice in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The intertwined relation between public and private care in Brazil is reshaping the medical profession, possibly affecting the distribution and profile of the country's medical workforce. Physicians' simultaneous engagement in public and private services is a common and unregulated practice in Brazil, but the influence played by contextual factors and personal characteristics over dual practice engagement are still poorly understood. This study aimed at exploring the sociodemographic profile of Brazilian physicians to shed light on the links between their personal characteristics and their distribution across public and private services. METHODS: A nation-wide cross-sectional study using primary data was conducted in 2014. A representative sample size of 2400 physicians was calculated based  on the National Council of Medicine database registries; telephone interviews were conducted to explore physicians' sociodemographic characteristics and their engagement with public and private services. RESULTS: From the 2400 physicians included, 51.45% were currently working in both the public and private services, while 26.95% and 21.58% were working exclusively in the private and public sectors, respectively. Public sector physicians were found to be younger (PR 0.84 [0.68-0.89]; PR 0.47 [0.38-0.56]), less experienced (PR 0.78 [0.73-0.94]; PR 0.44 [0.36-0.53]) and predominantly female (PR 0.79 [0.71-0.88]; PR 0.68 [0.6-0.78]) when compared to dual and private practitioners; their income was substantially lower than those working exclusively for the private (PR 0.58 [0.48-0.69]) and mixed sectors (PR 0.31 [0.25-0.37]). Conversely, physicians from the private sector were found to be typically senior (PR 1.96 [1.58-2.43]), specialized (PR 1.29 [1.17-1.42]) and male (PR 1.35 [1.21-1.51]), often working less than 20 h per week (PR 2.04 [1.4-2.96]). Dual practitioners were mostly middle-aged (PR 1.3 [1.16-1.45]), male specialists with 10 to 30 years of medical practice (PR 1.23 [1.11-1.37]). CONCLUSION: The study shows that more than half of Brazilian physicians currently engage with dual practice, while only one fifth dedicate exclusively to public services, highlighting also substantial differences in socio-demographic and work-related characteristics between public, private and dual-practitioners. These results are consistent with the international literature suggesting that physicians' sociodemographic characteristics can help predict dual practice forms and prevalence in a country.