Factors affecting the work passion of physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study in Thailand

ABSTRACT

Purpose

This qualitative study explores the factors influencing physicians’ work passion during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Thai medical context.

Methods

Using an appreciative inquiry (AI) approach, we conducted qualitative interviews with 30 physicians from a public hospital in Thailand to investigate the factors that influence passion for their professional work (work passion).

Results

Our analysis revealed 12 codes influencing physician work passion, which were grouped into four themes: job factors (meaningful work, challenging tasks, task accomplishment, autonomy, work-life balance); organizational factors (fairness, positive environment); relationship factors (having a role model, psychological support, collaboration, recognition and respect); and individual factors (spiritual drive).

Conclusion

These findings contribute to developing knowledge about work passion among physicians and provide information to develop effective strategies to harness and manage work passion, thus improving clinical practice and healthcare outcomes. This qualitative study sheds light on the factors that influence physician work passion during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, providing valuable information for future research and guiding the development of strategies to optimize work passion and its impact on clinical practice.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• Thai medical context
• qualitative study
• work passion
• appreciative inquiry

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Mr. Leo Atwood for his assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee on Human Research (EC2/4) of the National Institute of Development Administration, under (NIDA protocol code No. ECNIDA 2021/0134)

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This study was conducted as part of a Ph.D. dissertation of Kamoltip Lertchaisataporn entitle ‘Development of Physician’s Work Passion Inventory’ in the Human and Organization Development Innovation Doctoral Program at the National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand and received research support from the National Institution of Development Administration.

Notes on contributors

Kamoltip Lertchaisataporn

Kamoltip Lertchaisataporn is a Ph.D. student in the Human and Organization Development Innovation Doctoral Program at the Graduate School of Human Resource Development, National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand. She conducted this study as part of her Ph.D. dissertation, titled 'Development of Physician's Work Passion Inventory,' within the Human and Organization Development Innovation doctoral program at the National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand. Her dissertation advisor for this study is Wasita Boonsathorn, an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Human Resource Development, National Institute of Development Administration.

Wasita Boonsathorn

Wasita Boonsathorn is an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Human Resource Development, National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand. She served as a dissertation advisor for Kamoltip Lertchaisataporn during her Ph.D. studies and conducted this study. WB obtained a Ph.D. in Communication Arts and Sciences from the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and a MD in Speech Communication, and a BA (English) from Chulalongkorn University. Current focus interests are work passion, organizational communication, conflict management, and cross-cultural communication.