Challenges and Opportunities: A study on the house job experience 

Objective
The house job is the most junior doctor position, typically held as a resident post. It is a mandatory one-year internship undertaken after completing medical school, providing practical training under the supervision of senior doctors.1 House officers play multiple roles simultaneously, they work as trainees, manage patient care as junior doctors, and contribute to the education of medical students.
This study aimed to examine doctors' perceptions of completing their house jobs and identify areas for improvement
Methods
This study was conducted at two hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan, for six months in 2024. A carefully designed, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to house officers in both selected hospitals through various social media platforms. There were 14 Likert-scale questions (ranging from 1 to 5). The number of house officers who responded to these questionnaires was 378.
Results
The results showed that 28.3%(106) were satisfied with their training, whereas the 71.9% (272) majority were dissatisfied. 70.8% (267) stated they spent more time on clerical work than clinical duties. Additionally, 64.7% (244) expressed dissatisfaction with their emergency experience, while 65.2% (246) felt unsupported during night shifts.
Harassment was reported by 47.1% (178). 66.8% (252) viewed the house job system as disorganized. 50.9% (192) lacked confidence in applying their knowledge. Regarding career preparation, 43.6% (164) found the house job helpful.
A total of 57.2% (216) respondents indicated that they did not receive an induction. A significant portion 78% (294) felt their salary was inadequate.
Conclusion:
The finding highlighted several areas for improvement in the training of medical professionals, particularly in terms of supervision, support, and workload management.
Reference: Alozie N, Egbuchulem KI, Okor MC, Akintepede F, Omogiade CA, Awodiji MM. The Ideal House Officer: Trainee's perspectives. Ann Ib Postgrad Med. 2023 Dec;21(3):112-119. Epub 2024 Jan 30. PMID: 38706624; PMCID: PMC11065189