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An exploratory investigation of personality types attracted to ENT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2016

A Vijendren ,
M Yung ,
J Sanchez ,
U Shiralkar  and
L Weigel
A Vijendren*
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Ipswich Hospital, UK
M Yung
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Ipswich Hospital, UK
J Sanchez
Affiliation:
Department of Occupational Health, Ipswich Hospital, UK
U Shiralkar
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Worcestershire Health and Care Trust, Worcester, UK
L Weigel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Mount Farm Surgery, Bury Saint Edmunds, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Ananth Vijendren, 1 Oyster Close, Barnet EN5 2FF, UK E-mail: shivan5@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Background:

Careers in medicine are embarked on by people with various personalities, with highly strung and motivated characters usually drawn to surgery. This study was conducted to identify the personality types of ENT surgeons in comparison to a control group of foundation doctors.

Method:

A validated personality questionnaire was distributed to ENT specialty trainees and two cohorts of foundation doctors between October 2013 and November 2015. The questionnaires were scored and individuals were categorised as having either type A or type B personalities.

Results:

Response rates were 90 per cent (26 out of 29) for ENT specialty trainees and 76 per cent (79 out of 104) for foundation doctors. There was a significantly higher proportion of type A personalities in the ENT specialty trainees compared to the foundation doctors (18 out of 26 ENT specialty trainees vs 32 out of 79 foundation doctors; p = 0.01, chi-square = 6.4708). There were no associations between personality type and grade, gender or subspecialty of interest.

Conclusion:

ENT surgeons are more likely to be of type A personality in comparison to foundation doctors. This could be a reflection of the recruitment process into the specialty or a characteristic of individuals that get drawn to ENT.

Keywords

OtolaryngologyPersonalitySocial CharacteristicsOccupational Diseases
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 130 , Issue 6 , June 2016 , pp. 587 - 595
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2016 

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