Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
No published information on the personality characteristics of a significant proportion of any specialty of the medical profession has been available to date. The author presents the results from the application of a personality questionnaire (Cattell's 16 PF Form C) to sample of anaesthetists (n = 231). These show that this sample of anaesthetists differs from the general population in a number of dimensions. They are more reserved, intelligent, assertive, serious, conscientious, self-sufficient and tense and less socially bold and self-assured. They also differ from a sample of general practitioners. Within the sample of anaesthetists, there are significant differences on a cluster of factors relating to stability. Evidence is quoted, from part of the sample, of a significant relationship between personality profiles and behaviour and performance. The author puts forward a descriptive picture of the 'good' anaesthetists and the obverse and the possible implications for the assessment and selection of applicants for this shortage specialty.
Peter E. Reeve (Sun,) studied this question.