Professional Challenges in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
What is this project about?
Professional Challenges in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Recruitment and retention across all specialities of medicine, including obstetrics and gynaecology, has become a concern in recent years. Morale among doctors in general has been declining over the past number of years and has been linked with concerns over patient safety and patient care. Similar to other specialities, doctors-in-training and consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology are affected by difficulties with work-life balance, fears regarding media scrutiny and litigation, as well as concerns with career progression.
The Group has looked at this topic in general, and in relation to the specific impact of working in the field of pregnancy loss and perinatal death (see related projects).
The aim of this project, led by Dr Suzanne of Sullivan (Director of Education and Training, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland) for her MD in 2020, was to examine the professional challenges that doctors-in-training and consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology in the Republic of Ireland face, and identify solutions to improve recruitment and retention within the specialty.
What is involved?
- Qualitative interviews with consultant obstetrician-gynaecologists to examine the challenges they encounter and their views on what solutions could be considered to improve recruitment and retention.
- Survey of doctors-in-training working in obstetrics and gynaecology to evaluate the influence of media and the legal environment on careers in this specialty.
- Survey of final year medical students to examine perceptions of the specialty.
Who is involved?
Project team
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan | Cork University Maternity Hospital; Royal College of Physicians of Ireland | Project Lead |
| Dr Paul Corcoran | National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, UCC | Collaborator |
| Dr Claire McCarthy | Pregnancy Loss Research Group | Collaborator |
| Dr Sarah Meaney | National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, UCC; Pregnancy Loss Research Group | Collaborator |
| Dr Caoimhe Ni hÉalaithe | Pregnancy Loss Research Group | Collaborator |
| Professor Keelin O'Donoghue | Pregnancy Loss Research Group | Collaborator |
Dissemination activities
Journal articles
- McCarthy CM, O’Sullivan S, Corcoran P, Eogan M, Bennett D, Horgan M, O’Donoghue K. Medicine, media and the law: The effect on training in obstetrics and gynaecology. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. 2021;257:35-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.12.004.
- McCarthy CM, Meaney S, O’Sullivan S, Horgan M, Bennett D, O’Donoghue K. A qualitative review of challenges in recruitment and retention in obstetrics and gynecology in Ireland: The consultants’ solution based perspective. PLOS One. 2022;17(12):e0279635. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279635.
- Ní hÉalaithe C, Howard A, Corcoran P, McCarthy CM, Horgan M, Bennett D, O'Donoghue K, O'Sullivan S. Factors influencing medical students’ decision to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynaecology. PLOS One. 2023;18(12): e0288130. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0288130.
Thesis
Project status
Ongoing: 2016 to 2023
Further information
Please email Professor Keelin O’Donoghue: k.odonoghue@ucc.ie
Funders
None. This project was supported by the School of Medicine, UCC and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.