French physicians report low pay and unsafe working hours

French physicians are facing significant challenges regarding compensation and working conditions. A Medscape survey of 944 hospital and private practitioners revealed that 70% of respondents feel insufficiently remunerated. This dissatisfaction is more pronounced among younger doctors, with 80% reporting inadequate pay. Key grievances include low compensation for night shifts and weekends, as well as a lack of payment for administrative tasks, coordination, and training, which 75% of respondents perform unpaid.

In addition to compensation concerns, medical professionals are highlighting risks to patient safety caused by excessive working hours. The SNPHARE union, representing anesthesiologists and intensivists in public hospitals, is calling for an end to shifts exceeding 16 hours. Citing research published in Jama Network Open, the union notes that when a physician's workday exceeds 12 hours, patient risk increases, and after 16 hours, there is a 30% higher risk of hospital mortality. The union argues that current practices, which often involve 24-hour shifts, are antiphysiological and dangerous.