Assessment of Family Physicians’ Job Satisfaction Level among Sample from Iraq: Online Survey

Export Objective: Doctor’s satisfaction affects every aspect of medical practice, from patient satisfaction to overall provided health services; satisfied doctors tend to be more productive, creative, and committed to their employers. The aim of this study was to determine the level of job satisfaction of family physicians in Iraq and to identify the factors that had an impact on job satisfaction online in 2021. Methods: A cross-sectional study with analytic elements was conducted during the period from 23 December 2020 to 31 June 2021 by using the electronic version of a questionnaire designed by using Google Forms and sent out via phones, e-mails, and social media to the scientific groups of family medicine (FM) in Baghdad and Iraqi governorates. Only 300 doctors answered the questionnaire; the collected data were reformulated by using Microsoft Excel to fit the coding and analyzed by using SPSS v.2. Results: This study revealed that most of the participants were aged 30–39 years 211 (70%), female 254 (84.5%), married 255 (85%), with 1–3 children 216 (72%), 188 (62.7%) had 6–15 postgraduation years, 239 (79.7%) not have another source of income, 114 (38%) had seen 25–40 patient/day, 150 (50%) worked in Baghdad, 136 (46%) were permanents, 150 (50%) needed less than 30min to reach their offices. The majority were not satisfied with training program supervision 191 (63.7%), 142 (47.3%) were satisfied with the training course, 157 (52.3%) would be a family doctor if start over, 160 (53.3%) recommended FM specialty for others, 213 (71%) FM was their choice, the most reason for choosing FM was their interest 116 (38.7%). 160 (53.3%) were disagreed that the number of staff is enough, 145 (48.3%) were disagreed that salary is enough, the most chosen satisfying factor with medical practice was a doctor–patient relationship, 156 (52%), while the most chosen dissatisfying factor was non-clinical paperwork 110 (36.7%). As for future plans, 141 (47%) of participants plan for retirement, 119 (39.7%) will seek for a private clinic, and 92 (30.7%) plan to move outside Iraq; the most cause for their migration was outside there is more human/doctor rights 137 (45.7%). Conclusions: In general, 180 (60%) of family physicians were satisfied about their specialty, and more than half of the participants, 157 (52.3%), and 22 (7.3%), had somewhat positive and very positive expectations about the future of their specialty, respectively.