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Is Medicine Still a Calling? Exploring Physician Attitudes About Purpose in Medicine

Jackson Physician Search
March 4, 2025

New Study Finds Clinicians Who Consider Their Work a Calling Are Better Suited to Navigate Challenge and Change

New research from Jackson Physician Search and LocumTenens.com explores the concept of purpose in medicine and its impact on how physicians feel about their jobs. Overall the data provides hope that while the system itself continues to face significant challenges, the people who work within it are there because they felt a calling to help others, and most still find meaning in their work. This is good news, as the data also suggests that a sense of purpose lends itself to greater resiliency and higher engagement levels — meaning clinicians with a strong sense of purpose are generally happier at work and better equipped to manage the many challenges they face.

The survey, conducted in January 2025, reveals what drives clinicians to pursue the field of medicine — and what keeps them going. More than 1,200 physicians and advanced practice providers answered questions about finding purpose in medicine. The goal of this research was to truly understand…is medicine still a calling?

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Key Findings

  • Most respondents felt “called” to medicine. 90% of respondents saw medicine as a calling when they began, but more than half say the feeling has diminished.
  • Altruism is an inspiration. 73% of respondents said “helping others/serving humanity” was a key motivator for pursuing medicine.
  • Generations have different drivers. Baby Boomers are more likely to report a strong sense of calling and the highest levels of passion for their work, but Gen Z was most likely to say they are motivated to pursue medicine by a desire to serve humanity.
  • APPs feel called to their work. Advanced practice providers (APPs) are more likely than physicians to say medicine was definitely a calling.
  • Satisfaction is higher for those who feel a calling. Those who say medicine was a calling are more likely to feel satisfied with their jobs, say they would pursue medicine again and encourage young people to pursue medicine.
  • A sense of calling impacts turnover. Across all respondents, approximately one-third (30%) say they plan to leave their current employers in the next one to three years. However, clinicians who see medicine as a calling are more likely to say they plan to stay with their current employers.

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