Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the outcome of the latest groups of pneumologists trained in hospitals in Catalonia, Spain, and to compare these results with international estimate rates on the need for pneumologists.
Methods: Information was collected by a self-administered closed response questionnaire which was filled out during the first trimester of 1994 by the pneumologists trained in hospitals in Catalonia from 1989 to 1993.
Results: One hundred percent response to the questionnaire was achieved (48 pneumologists). The first job following completion of resident training period consisted in being grant holders in the same department in 27 cases (56%), 15 (31%) received a contract as pneumologists, 2 (4%) as non-pneumologists physicians and 4 (8%) became unemployed. When the periods of 1989-1990 and 1992-1993 were compared, in the latter only 2/26 pneumologists directly obtained a contract on termination of training versus 13/22 from the former period (p < 0.0003). Half of the new pneumologists (24/48) performed other complementary labor activities, the most frequent being the work in medical emergency areas. CONCLUSIONS. Despite the importance of the respiratory diseases in health care, there is an increase in the number of pneumologists with difficulties in working in his specialty. This situation shows the need for searching for secondary professional activities. This fact, together with the scarce of promotion of specialized medical care, may enhance the risk of health care quality in respiratory diseases not improving to the desired level.