Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To study the career choices, academic productivity and geographical distribution of trainees in gastroenterology from Canadian training programs from 1984-91.METHODS: The names and current locations of trainees in gastroenterology were requested from program directors. Data were obtained from CD-ROM on the publications of the trainees during their fellowship. Migration patterns and trends were analyzed over the study period.RESULTS: Data were obtained on 170 trainees. Forty-one per cent of trainees were working in a hospital affiliated with a university medical centre. Most Canadian trainees continue to practise gastroenterology in the province in which they trained. Trainees who pursued an academic career had an average of 1.1 peer-reviewed publication compared with community-based gastroenterologists who averaged 0.40 publications during their fellowship (P=0.02).CONCLUSIONS: Many Canadian gastroenterology trainees continue to be affiliated with an academic medical centre. Those trainees who published during their fellowship were associated with a career at an academic centre. Migration to other provinces or countries is uncommon and did not significantly change over the study period.