The perception of different occupations within the medical profession

The recent history and diversification of occupations within the medical profession suggests that members of different occupational groups would perceive other occupations in characteristically different ways. This paper examines the general theme that one might expect an unsympathetic appraisal of a medical or helping profession which seeks to appropriate a field of knowledge, style of operation or client group, which is under the established jurisdiction of another helping profession. A hundred and twenty five people from five different occupational groups within the medical profession indicated their perceptions of their own and eleven other health care occupations. Analysis of variance revealed very different patterns of perceptions particularly across the professional groups doing the experiment. The groups varied particularly in their perception of accessibility and status, though not as much over essentiality and pay. The rank ordering of the twelve professions along a number of the scales revealed particularly interesting findings. Results are discussed in terms of the history of the various professions and implications are drawn for the primary health team, and the relative pay and conditions of the groups.