Abstract
Three subgroups of psychiatrists are identified as significant manpower variables: the female psychiatrist, the foreign medical graduate and the child and adolescent psychiatrist. Relevant data and their manpower implications are presented in this report. Regarding the female psychiatrist, our results substantiate both the traditional practice differences and the convergence of male and female career patterns. Compared to the male group, our female respondents are younger, have less migration plans, practise an average 6.3 hours less/week, but spend almost double the proportion of time practising child and adolescent psychiatry.
Regarding foreign medical graduates, a significant restriction of their number in this country would markedly impair our manpower, particularly in already deprived provinces and settings; a pool of language proficiency would be lost; our FMG respondents practise an average extra 2.8 hours/week and their impact is particularly significant in the mental retardation, geriatric and research areas.
Our respondent group in the child and adolescent psychiatry area is composed of a higher proportion of females and is significantly younger. These practitioners work 3.4 extra hours a week, the extra time being spent mostly in administrative and teaching activities. The delineation of further significant subgroups of psychiatrists is advocated.