Job satisfaction as experienced by doctors in public sector hospitals in Port Elizabeth

South Africa is experiencing a brain drain of doctors. It is estimated that about 5000 doctors have left South Africa since 2003. Lack of job satisfaction has been identified as one of its causes. The purpose of this study was: To provide an overview of relevant literature concerning job satisfaction. To determine, by means of an empirical survey, whether doctors in the public sector experienced any factors, which were affecting their job satisfaction levels. To make recommendations as to how the job satisfaction levels of doctors in public sector hospitals could be increased. For the empirical study a survey, with a questionnaire as data collecting tool, was conducted among 59 permanently employed doctors at the Dora Nginza Hospital in Port Elizabeth. The questionnaire focused on biographical information, personality-job fit, job content factors and job context factors. For Section B, C and D of the questionnaire, the response options were structured according to a Likert-type scale. Respondents had to indicate the extent to which they agreed with each statement in the questionnaire. The responses obtained from the survey were presented and analysed. The researcher observed in this study that doctors were just satisfied with their jobs. Apart from the personality job fit factor of job satisfaction where excellent scores were recorded, there seemed to be problems with job content and job context factors. Management of Port Elizabeth Hospitals Complex has a challenge in improving job satisfaction of their doctors in these areas. The researcher recommends that management of Port Elizabeth Hospitals Complex should look into the satisfaction level of doctors in their employment. Doctors’ satisfaction level should be improved from being just satisfactory to being excellent