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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57187/4549

Original article

Vol. 156 No. 08 (2026)

Sociodemographic and profession-related attrition factors that lead residents to consider leaving medicine: a cross-sectional study

Cite this as:
Swiss Med Wkly. 2026;156:4549
Published
11.08.2026

Summary

STUDY AIMS: Switzerland will face a critical shortage of physicians in the coming years. In this study, we investigated the percentage of residents with an intention to leave the job and profession. Furthermore, we investigated the association between sociodemographic and profession-related factors and the intention to leave.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among residents in Switzerland in November 2024. We contacted all residents who use the Swiss Institute of Medical Education (SIWF) e-Logbook via an e-mail containing a link to an online survey about sociodemographic factors and their intention to leave the job and profession. The survey included questions related to professional factors such as workload, satisfaction with the job, decision on specialisation and the importance attached to teaching during working hours. Inferential statistics included odds ratio calculations.

RESULTS: Of 14,616 residents contacted, 5080 (34.8%) participated. Of these 5080 respondents, 2358 (45.6%) reported considering leaving their job and 2800 (55.1%) leaving the profession. Participants could tick both options separately. One attrition factor identified for the job is longer time spent in residency. Attrition factors identified for both job and profession are: a high difference between contractual and effective weekly working hours, high weekly working hours, dissatisfaction with the job and the impression of not enough importance given to teaching during working hours. Attrition factors identified for the profession are: completion of medical studies in Switzerland, working in the German-language region, unemployment and being undecided on specialisation. A retention factor for the profession is having at least one parent who is a physician.

CONCLUSIONS: The intention to leave the job and profession among residents working in Switzerland is alarmingly high. Retention requires strict adherence to contractual working hours – and, where possible, their reduction – as well as improvements in job satisfaction and the quality of teaching during working hours. Policymakers, institutions and teaching sites are called upon to enforce working hours regulations, protect structured teaching time and strengthen residency as postgraduate medical education aimed at building competence and specialisation. Without such measures, there is a risk that attrition among residents could increase, potentially contributing to the projected physician shortage in Switzerland.

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