A survey by the General Medical Council (GMC) has found that one in four junior doctors, now officially known as resident doctors, work part-time.
In a survey of 50,000 junior doctors, 24 percent said they opted to work “less than full-time,” and this has doubled since 2015 (12 percent), The Times reports.
The average full-time hours are 40 to 48 hours per week.
Better work-life balance and childcare responsibilities are cited as reasons by those opting for part-time contracts.
In paediatrics and emergency medicine, more than half of the junior doctors surveyed worked part-time.
The British Medical Association (BMA) stated that working part-time could help prevent “burnout” and deter doctors from quitting the profession.
It also allows doctors to take on more locum shifts, which typically pay higher wages than their permanent positions, it added.
Doctors in training posts were allowed to work part-time for reasons including disability, illness and caring responsibilities.
However, the criteria were expanded in 2021-22, allowing trainees to work part-time as a choice.
This has led to an increase in doctors working part-time.
