Almost one-in-three doctors would not choose medicine if they were to start their careers again, according to a survey by the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO).
Some 31 per cent of all doctors said they would reject medicine if they were back at school, while 42 per cent of non-consultant hospital doctors said they would not choose the same career.
Thirty-six per cent of female doctors who responded said they would not choose medicine again, compared with 29 per cent of male respondents.
Among consultants who responded, 23 per cent said they would not choose medicine again.
The IMO survey received replies from 1,560 medical practitioners, almost one-third of the organisation's membership. The majority of practising doctors are members of the IMO.
Overwork and underfunding were the two recurring complaints from doctors, according to the survey, Turning Vision into Reality, published yesterday.
Asked about their biggest manpower problems, 69 per cent of doctors said an increasing workload was their greatest problem. The absence of planning at a national level was also cited as a major problem.
The study pointed out that expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP was still significantly less than the EU average. OECD health data showed the EU average was 8.1 per cent in 1999, while the Irish average was 7.8 per cent.
Doctors said their greatest funding worry was the lack of co-ordinated services and the effect of this on the vulnerable.
The increasing threat of litigation was highlighted by the doctors surveyed, with 77 per cent saying it was a major worry; 83 per cent of GPs said litigation was a priority concern.
The survey also uncovered what were described as "worrying trends" in relation to bullying and racism.
Almost one-in-10 doctors said they were concerned about racism in their profession. Junior doctors were more aware of this issue, with 15 per cent expressing concern.
Almost one-in-three public health doctors expressed concern over bullying, while 22 per cent of junior doctor respondents and 18 per cent of consultants said they were concerned at the level of bullying in their workplaces.
According to the IMO, consultants experienced bullying behaviour from hospital management as well as from administrators and politicians.
The over-optimistic expectations of some patients was a major problem for 52 per cent of doctors surveyed. GPs were most worried about this issue, according to the survey.
