Background  

Many physicians and professional leaders agree that community participation is an important professional role for physicians. Volunteerism has also received increasing attention in the national agenda for social change. Yet little is known about physicians’ community volunteer activities.

Objective  

To measure levels of community volunteerism among US physicians.

Design and Participants  

Analysis of the 2003 Current Population Survey (CPS) Volunteer Supplement, a cross-sectional, nationally-representative, in-person and telephone survey of 84,077 adult citizens, including 316 physicians.

Measurements  

The primary outcome was whether the respondent had volunteered in the prior 12 months and if so the total number of hours. The level of community volunteer activity was compared between physicians, lawyers and the general public. In addition, predictors of physician volunteerism were identified.

Results  

According to the survey, 39% of physicians had volunteered in their community in the past 12 months compared to 30% of the general public (p = 0.002) and 57% of lawyers (p < 0.001). After multivariate adjustment, physicians were half as likely as the general public (OR = 0.52, p < 0.001) or lawyers (OR = 0.44, p < 0.001) to have volunteered. Physicians were more likely to have volunteered if they worked part-time (OR = 3.35, p = 0.03), variable hours (OR = 3.16, p = 0.03), or between 45–54 hours per week (OR = 3.15, p = 0.02) compared to a 35–44 hour work week.

Conclusions  

Despite highly favorable physician attitudes toward volunteerism in prior surveys, less than half of US physicians have volunteered with community organizations in the past year. Renewed attention to understanding and increasing physician engagement in community volunteer work is needed.