Perceptions of Orthopaedic Surgery Among UK Resident Doctors
Conditions
Brief summary
Orthopaedic surgery is one of the largest surgical specialties in the UK, delivering high-volume, high-impact care across trauma and elective pathways. Despite this, the specialty continues to face challenges in recruitment, diversity, inclusivity and perceptions of workload and culture. International literature suggests that impressions formed during undergraduate and early postgraduate training strongly influence specialty choice; however, contemporary UK-specific data on how resident doctors view orthopaedics remain limited. The ORTHO BRO Study is a cross-sectional, anonymous online survey designed to capture UK trainees' perceptions of orthopaedics, compare views between those with and without prior orthopaedic rotations, and explore spontaneous associations. Findings will inform training improvement, inclusivity initiatives, and recruitment strategies. The study targets UK foundation doctors (F1/F2), core trainees (CT1/CT2), and trust-grade/non-training senior house officers (SHOs) across multiple trusts/foundation schools.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trust
Study design
Observational model
OTHER
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Inclusion criteria
* Are currently employed within the UK National Health Service (NHS) as a Foundation Year 1 (F1), Foundation Year 2 (F2), Core Training Year 1 (CT1), Core Training Year 2 (CT2) or trust-grade/non-training senior house officer (SHO). * Are aged 18 years or older. * Are able to read and understand English sufficiently to comprehend the participant information and complete the online questionnaire. * Are willing and able to provide electronic informed consent before taking part. * Agree to participate voluntarily and understand that participation is anonymous and non-compulsory.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Perceived inclusivity of the specialty | Baseline (At a single time point: at completion of the online survey) | Measured using responses to: "I would consider orthopaedics to be an inclusive specialty." Quantified on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree).Mean scores will be compared between participants with and without prior orthopaedic experience. |
| Perceived work-life balance | Baseline (At a single time point: at completion of the online survey) | Measured using responses to: "I believe orthopaedics offers a good work-life balance." Quantified on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Mean scores will be compared between participants with and without prior orthopaedic experience. |
| Interest in pursuing a career in orthopaedics | Baseline (At a single time point: at completion of the online survey) | Measured using responses to: "Would you personally consider pursuing a career in orthopaedics?" Quantified on a 5-point Likert scale (definitely no → definitely yes). Used to explore the relationship between perceptions (inclusivity, lifestyle) and career interest. |
Outcome results
None listed