Health professional characterize a homogenous group in requisites of intellectual and cognitive ability and seem to share common personality traits based on their choice of career. Personality has been reported to be related to medical career choice (Walton, 1987). The idea that distinct personality types may exist for physicians in different specialty areas has been examined using different personality inventories. The MBTI has been extensively used in educational counselling, human resource management and in research of health professions

In this paper, an attempt has been made to review the literature on health professionals’ personality profile as measured by MBTI and its relation with student’s academic achievement, academic performance and work behavior such as job satisfaction etc.

MBTI was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother Katherine Cook Briggs in 1950, based on Carl G. Jung’s psychological typology (Jung 1933, 1971; Myers 1962; Myers and Caully 1985).The MBTI measure four bipolar dimensions of personality types and their combinations: Introversion-Extraversion (I or E type), Sensing- Intuition (S or N type), Thinking-Feeling (T or F type) and Judging-Perceiving (J or P type). The four dimensions can be combined to identify sixteen personality types designated by 4 letters representing each of the preferred mental attitudes and function (eg. ESTJ, INFP etc). No one personality type is regarded as superior in any way, but certain types are anticipated to be more naturally skilled or comfortable in certain contexts or roles.

In this review health professionals include all graduate and post-graduate medical students, physicians, dentists, nurse, dietitians, therapist and pharmacists etc

Student:

The MBTI has been extensively used in educational counseling, human resource management and in medical education research (Mohammadreza Hojat, 2013). Medicine is a special field that can gain from a mixture of personality types; each can match a desirable personality group for a particular specialty (Myers and Davis, 1965). In comparison to the general population medical students were more Intuitive, Feeling and Judging types (McCaulley 1977, 1981).

In one study Mary Johnson (2009) found first year medical students tended to display sensing and judging dimensions more than sensing and perceiving dimensions. In another study Neha S. Kulkarni(2015) assessed the personality type of the first year medical students of J. N. Medical College Belgaum. Results showed that the students were more Extroverts, Perceivers, and Feeling and Intuitive types. The most common personality type was ENFP, INFP and INTP types. In different medical schools and health professionals different type of personalities were found.

Understanding of their own learning style can help students as they communicate to one another and finally to their future patients. Robin Sabo et. al.(2012) described the preferred learning and personality style of health related professions enrolled in Central Michigan University. Their study revealed that Guardian (Sensing- Judging) was the preferred MBTI temperament type of health professions students. Intuition/ thinking and sensing/perceiving were least reported by health professionals. Idealistic (Intuition/ thinking) were more inclined to counseling profession.

McNulty and colleagues (2006) examined the relationships between personality types and learning style. Findings showed that although the use of computer-aided instruction was positively correlated with the Sensing rather than Intuitive personality types, higher use of discussion forums (as opposed to lecture and tutorial) was associated with Perceiving-Judging type. Groupings of preferences revealed that “ITP” types logged in significantly more often than “EFJ” types regardless of the N/S dimension. “NTP” types logged in for significantly longer time than the “SFJ” regardless of the E/I dimension.

Researchers showed that there was a link between personality types of medical students and their academic performance. Wild and Skipper (1991) in their study of neurochemistry students’ personality and examination scores found that the Sensing-Thinking (ST) type of students scored highest marks. In another study Kim (1999) found, the medical students with a Thinking preference performed better in study than their counterparts with a Feeling preference. Tharp (2009) reported that in an undergraduate physiology course, the highest grades were achieved by students with a Sensing preference.

O’Donnel (1982) in his study with 114 students at the University of New Mexico, School of Medicine found that the failure rate was highest in the medical licensing examination (National Board of Medical Examiners, Part 1) among the Intuitive-Feeling (NF) type of students. Sefcik et. al. (2009) administered MBTI to 263 osteopathic medical students at Midwestern University/Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine to inspect the relationship between personality types and performance. The study results showed that there was no significant correlation between personality types and performance. The NF personality type students were more prone to score lower on the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination. Hyo Hyun Yoo (2014) reported that the personality types of general public and korean university’s anatomy students was similar and there was no difference in academic achievements by personality type. The study concluded that academic achievement could not be predicted by using personality type.

Anesthesiologists:

Students choosing a specialty that requires attention to detail (radiology, anesthesiology) had a preference for Sensing ((Katz et. al, 2007). Anesthesiologists were characterized as introverted-sensing-thinking-perceiving (ISTP) and introverted sensing- feeling-perceiving (ISFP) types. Applying the MBTI, Myers and Davis (1976) study revealed that anesthesiologists were characterized as both Introverted-ST-Perceiving and Introverted-Sensing-Feeling- Perceiving types. Anesthesiologists shared the dimension of introversion (I) (Myers and Davis, 1976). They could be described as competent to experience negative affect and as less friendly and dominating (Nicole J. Borges and Mark L. Savickas(2002).

Family Practitioners and primary care:

Studies using MBTI had yielded mixed results of personality types of family physician. The most common type among family practitioners was the extroversion-sensing-thinking-judging (ESTJ) (Myers and Davis, 1976) and as per the results of Friedman and Slatt (1988) they displayed sensing-feeling-judging (SFJ) type.

In 1980, Taylor, Clark, and Sinclair (1990) assessed MBTI profiles of 778 family practice residents in 30 residency programs. The most preferred personality traits were intuitive (N) and feeling (F). This finding suggested that family physicians focused on challenges and responsibilities (N) and desired to make decisions based on subjective values (F). They also compared this personality data with those obtained in 1950 and 1978.and found that in 1950s family practitioners were predominately sensors (S), thinkers (T), and perceivers (P); and in 1978s they were displayed sensing (S) and judging (J) dimension. Taylor et al. came out first time to suggest that the personalities of family practitioners may have changed from the 1970s (SJ) to 1980s (NF). It was probably that family medicine now attracts different types of individuals than in the previous decade. Those who pursued family medicine were more likely to be the Feeling (F) rather than Thinking (T) type (Stilwell et. Al; 2000)

Harris and Ebbert (1985) examined differences in personality types between first-year family practice residents and rural primary care physicians. Results showed that the residents were significantly more intuitive (N) and more feeling (F) type and; in contrast, physicians were more sensing (S) than intuitive (N). The authors concluded that family practice residents differed from rural primary care physicians in how they gather information. Residents may perceive the present realities, whereas physicians envision future possibilities.

A more recent study by Stilwell, Wallick, Thal, and Burleson (2000) compared preference for primary care versus non–primary care specialties among 3, 987 medical students. Results showed that physicians who scored high on either feeling (F) and introversion (I) were more likely to be in primary care specialties, while thinking (T) or extraversion (E) were equally likely to choose either primary care or non–primary care specialties. In thinking feeling personality dimension there was no differences between who choose primary care and noon-primary care (Katz et. Al 2007).Again within primary care, family practitioners displayed a feeling (F) dimension than other primary care specialties, such as pediatrics and internal medicine. Non–primary care specialties were classified as surgical versus nonsurgical specialties. Those in nonsurgical specialties had either a feeling (F) or introversion (I) dimension while physicians in surgical specialties had either a thinking (T) or extraversion (E) dimension.

Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology:

Zardouz et al.( 2011) compared the personality types of applicants to an otolaryngology residency program with the general population and physicians in other medical specialties. The result showed that those who applied for otolaryngology tended to score high on extraversion-sensing –thinking-judging (ESFJ).They also found that thinking (T) and judging (J) types were more preferred than feeling (F) and perceiving (P) types among the otolaryngology residency applicants. Extravert-Sensing-Thinking-Perceiving types of personality were found in higher proportion in otolaryngology residency applicants (8%) than the general population. The persons who were interested in otolaryngology and ophthalmology had similar personality types (McCaulley, 1978). Though, those interested in ophthalmology were more people-oriented and those interested in otolaryngology were more technology-oriented. Isil Irem Budakoglu et al (2014) found that Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ISTJ) was the most preferred personality type in this specialty and women were intended to join this specialty.

Obstetrics-Gynecologist:

Students who favored Extraversion and Sensor chose obstetrics-gynecology (Myers and Davis, 1976). Applying MBTI in his longitudinal study McCaulley (1978) found that individuals with a Sensing type were attracted more in obstetrics-gynecology. Friedman and Slatt (1988) reported medical students who favored Sensing -Tinking-Judging dimensions choose obstetrics-gynecology. Katz et. al. (2007) found that medical students who entered obstetrics-gynecology tended to score high on Extraversion type. The students with Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ISTJ) had a higher score on the obstetrics-gynecology and women were interested in this specialty (Isil Irem Budakoglu et al, 2014),

Physiatrists :

In a study Ornstein and colleagues (1987) examined the association between personality types, and residents’ laboratory test ordering behavior of 39 family medicine residents at the University of South Carolina Medical Center in Charleston who treated 1326 hypertensive patients in 14 006 visits, and ordered 7361 laboratory tests. Findings revealed that compared to Extravert and Sensing types, the Introvert and Intuitive types of physician were to be expected to order more tests.

MBTI had been used to assess personality of Physiatrists, or physicians whose specialty was physical medicine and rehabilitation. In a study Sliwa and Shade-Zeldow (1994) compared personalities of physical medicine and rehabilitation medical residents’ graduates of their training program and found that Intuition was the principal dimension for graduates and residents. Graduates were, thinking, sensing, and feeling type and residents were feeling, thinking, and sensing type. Significant difference was found on two personality dimensions of MBTI, graduates being more introverted and judging than current residents. When making decisions residents considered values and others feeling

In a study Clack, Gillian (2002) examined whether individuals' personality differences were related to specialty choice and job satisfaction. It was found that there were significantly more Sensing and feeling (SF) types in general practice and in hospital medicine Intuitive and Thinking (NT) were more preferred types. Again in hospital medicine Sensing-thinking types were interested to the diagnostic and support services and Intuitive and Thinking (NT) were found in direct patient care. Within individual specialties differences was also noticed. Irrespective of their specialty Feeling-deciders were significantly less satisfied than Thinking--deciders. No pattern of differences emerged when the type preferences of those less satisfied were compared to the tasks performed and the people with whom they were working.

In 2003 Alan H. Johnson et. al. sought to determine that physicians with certain MBTI preferences would be more likely to participate in Balint groups. They found that there was no psychological type’s difference as measured by MBTI in the Balint group attendees. They were heterogeneous group sharing some similar attributes. The Balint attendees were more likely to be classified as “intuitive” on the MBTI type. Their analysis also suggested that neither gender nor traits were more common in attendees versus non attendees. Results showed that psychological measures alone will not predict who will choose to participate in Balint training.

Russell Boyd and Terry Brown (2005) conducted a study to see personality differences of senior medical staff in Tasmania and South Australia. The results showed that no distinct differences in their personality types have emerged and the single most common personality the group exhibited was ENTJ. In terms of MBTI profiles from general population remarkable variations was observed.

Pediatricians and Internists:

Nicole J. Borges and Mark L. Savickas (2002) found only two studies related to pediatricians which used MBTI to assessed personality type. Pediatricians showed a large proportion of extroversion-sensing-feeling-judging (ESFJ) and introverted-sensing feeling- judging (ISFJ) types (Myers and Davis, 1976), whereas Friedman and Slatt (1988) found that medical students choosing pediatrics yielded less distinctive MBTI types profile. In Lacorte and Risucci (1993) study’s no distinct differences in personality types of pediatricians had emerged.

In their literature search, Nicole J. Borges and Mark L. Savickas (2002) found that there was a dearth of studies surveying internists and those who entered internal medicine yielded less distinctive MBTI types (Friedman and Slatt, 1988). It was not easy to conclude that whether studies with primary care practitioners included internists as part of their sample. Internal medicine included many subspecialties such as cardiology, endocrinology, and nephrology.

Psychiatrists:

Students who favor introversion choose psychiatry (Myers, 1976). In another study, Charles P. Frieaman and lisa M. Slatt (1988) found that medical students who were interested in psychiatry were more likely to display an Introverted-Feeling-Perceiving personality type. In the investigation of Sliwa and Shade-Zeldow (1994) and Chong Yang et.al (2016) no distinct differences in psychiatry personality types had emerged.

Pharmacists:

Rezler, et al. (1975) assessed the personality type of 614 pharmacy students with implications for chosen career paths. Results revealed that pharmacy students had a strong propensity for sensing and judging preferences. Extraverts and Introverts were more uniformly distributed and there was to some extent more thinker than the feeler. Female pharmacy students and faculty preferred extrovert and feeling dimension more than a male counterpart. Dimension (Rezler, et al., 1975; Avis A. Shuck and Charles R. Phillips, 1999; Lowenthal, 1994; Lesa Lawrence, 2007).

The book, People Types and Tiger Stripes by Gordon Lawrence (1982, in Barbara Adamcik et.al 1996) discussed the relationship between learning styles and personality types. He stated that being linear learner sensing types prefer the step-by-step approach to learning a task and intuitive types have a preference to observe the whole task first. He talked about the strengths and weaknesses associated with various learning style, which was useful in understanding the different learning method and help to know the wants of students that were discovered in the pharmacy classroom, lab, and clerkship environments.

In his 1988’s article Lowenthal looked at learning styles of 98 students and 41 faculties. Using the MBTI, the Kolb Learning Style Inventory, and the Learning Preference Inventory; he found that students tended to be more sensing-feeling-perceptive (SFP) type than faculty. On the extraversion-introversion (EI) dimensions no significant differences were found. Faculty preferred intuition at a significant level; this suggested that faculty must make sure that lectures include practical examples as well as conceptual ideas. They showed stronger thinking-judging (TJ) preferences. Compare to faculty more students preferred perception (P), this suggested that importance should be given for information processing time. In this study between faculty and students, personality differences were present.

Lowenthal and Meth (1989) investigated the relationships between MBTI preferences and academic performance of pharmacy students. Students with introversion preference and intuition preference did well on written tests, time- limited tests and concept and theory. While sensing students did better on objective tests offering choices and performed well in an experiment. Students preferring perceiving and thinking preference did well on essays and on science, mathematics, and analysis of facts respectively. They reported that extrovert, intuitive, thinking and judging (ENTJ) types of women, and introvert, intuitive, feeling and judging INFJ) types of the male had better overall academic performance.

Pharmacy students and pharmacy practitioners did not differ on El and SN dimensions. The modal type was ISTJ with about two- thirds preferring SJ. A significant difference was found on the TF dimension (Lowenthal, 1994). The Majority of students showed a preference for being introverted, sensing, thinking, and judging (ISTJ). There were no significant differences by gender; though women were exhibited more of SJs type (Barbara Adamcik et.al, 1996).

Hardigan et. al. (1998) compared personality types of osteopathic students, pharmacy students, physical therapy students, physician assistant students, and occupational therapy students. Pharmacy students were introverted whereas students of other four subjects were extroverted. Pharmacy students were more tended to use the sensing function, at the same time osteopathic students preferred the intuitive function. No significant difference across the thinking/feeling dimension was noticed for the five health professions. On the judgment/perception dimension, pharmacy students were likely to favor the perceiving function. The dominant profile for osteopathic and physician assistant students were ESTJ, for physical and occupational therapy students was ESFJ and for pharmacy students was ISTJ. The results sustain the idea that people choose professions partially based on personality traits.

Avis A. Shuck and Charles R. Phillips (1999) in their analysis of ten-year data of pharmacy students’ personality found that modal type remained Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, Judging (ISTJ) to Introvert, Sensing, Feeling, Judging (ISFJ). Female pharmacy students had a preference of feeling and judging dimension. PharmD students were more likely to be Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging (ENFJ) than BS Pharmacy students. The results of Lesa Lawrence(2007) study were consistent with a 10-year analysis of Drake pharmacy students except for the category of judging.

In an exploratory study, Patrick C. Hardigan et.al (2001) investigated the relationship of MBTI type to job satisfaction and career choice in pharmacists. Results showed that personality types were linked to career choice in pharmacy practice. On the other hand, personality types did not predict job satisfaction.

Surgeons:

Myers and Davis (1976) reported that surgeons were more inclined to Extraverted and Sensing (S) type of personality. McCauley’s longitudinal study (1978) discovered that surgical subspecialties of general, orthopedic and obstetrics/gynecology that require technical skill and deals with straightforward problems, attracted individuals with a Sensing (S)-type personality. It had been found that obstetricians, general surgeons, and orthopedic surgeons were generally Sensing type (Myers and Davis 1976; McCaulley 1978). In comparison, neurological, plastic, and thoracic surgeries, which deal with more specialized or complex problems, attracted individuals with an intuitive (N) dimension. Neurological, plastic and thoracic surgeons (McCaulley 1978) often score high on the Intuitive dimension and thus could be characterized as imaginative, interested and having a want for diversity (Borges and Savickas 2002).

Stillwell et. al. (2000) reported that the Thinking types preferred to chose surgical specialties at a significantly higher rate than did the Feeling types. The Introvert types pursued surgical specialties at a considerably lesser proportion than did the Extravert types. Sensing types preferred Obstetrics-General Practice and Anesthesiology; Introverts more intended to academic settings; Intuition in Psychiatry, Pathology, and Research. ENFJ types tended to build a career in pediatrics, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine, General Surgery and ENF types would like to specialize in Neurology, OB/GYN, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry. Jeffrey Paul et al.(2012) reported that neurosurgical residents had a strong preference for thinking, judging and intuition functions. This combination of preferences (NTJ) makes a distinction between neurosurgical residents and other medical specialties. Stillwell et. al. (2000) also suggested that gender, E–I and T–F dimension could predict interest in surgical specialties (e.g. being male, extraverted and thinking types).

Swanson JA (2010) tested that the changing surgical training paradigms were attracting a different personality profile of surgery residents. The most preferred personality type of the resident surgeon was ISTJ. Trainees demonstrated the Introversion personality type; this finding differed from earlier results which showed a preference for the Extroversion personality type among residency surgeons.

Therapist:

Susan Rovezzi-Carroll and Ronnie Leavitt (1984) examined the personality distinctiveness of physical therapy students who had special career goals and found that significant personality differences among physical therapy students. Intuitive and Perceiving (I/P) was the preferred combination for those who wanted to be specialist clinicians and Sensing and Judging (S/J) for those who wanted careers as generalist clinicians. The specialist expressed characteristics of flexible, inquisitive and problem solvers and the generalists portrayed characteristics of rigor, structure, and preferred routine procedure.

In his study Whitney Norton (2014) found that ESFJ and ISFJ were the personality types of speech-language pathologists and communication sciences and disorders students. The only difference between these groups was in the dichotomy of extroversion and introversion. Introverted students gathered energy from within and extroverted pathologists gathered energy from the outer world. Both groups was inclined to keep information in concrete and literal ways, make inferences using five senses, they were sensitive to other people’s requirements, they got pleasure from structure, and work very hard to reach goals. Feeling and judging (FJ) individuals found in both the speech pathologists and student data.

The result of Hierarchical regression and logistic regression of Jeremy Jinkerson et. al.(2015) revealed that Thinking-Feeling function was the significant predictor of the cognitive therapy outcome. The individuals who favored Thinking revealed better development in GAF(Global Assessment of Functioning) than individuals who preferred Feeling. Thinking-Feeling was no longer a significant outcome predictor when initial GAF was incorporated in the regression. Personality type as measured MBTI was not a significant predictor of the psychotherapy outcome. The individual who favored thinking function benefited from cognitive therapy than the feelers.

Support Specialists:

Hospital-based and support specialties, such as pathology and radiology had not received much attention in research (Nicole J. Borges and Mark L. Savickas, 2002 and Mohammadreza Hojat et. al., 2013). Myers and Davis (1976) found that pathologists tended to display introversion (I), intuitive (N), and thinking (T) dimensions, while Friedman and Slatt (1988) reported that students interested in pathology did not exhibit a different personality type in the MBTI.

Rural Practice:

Work of Eley et al (2009) in Australia suggested that awareness of personality types matched to rurally based General practitioners may help in recruitment and retention of rural doctors through a greater awareness of personality traits advantageous to the rural workforce. Extroverts had a higher probability for intention to practice in a rural areas and prefer to try new experiences. Judging types had higher intention to practice in rural area than Perceivers but this was statistically insignificant. Extroversion had a positive correlation with clinical evaluations (Royston et. al, 2012).

Patients:

Knowledge of physiological types helps to improve communication with patients. Clack et al (2004) in their UK- based study found that there was a significant difference between the dimension of the personality of doctors and UK adult population and these differences affected in a communication system. The idea of psychological type differences and how these could affect communication with their patients might help doctors. To go nearer to their patients ’preferences could improve the doctor ⁄ patient meeting practice only by the proper training in how to change their communication style when needed, Understanding of Personality Types as indicated by MBTI was useful from the side of professional caregivers knowing themselves better and using the information to work more successfully within the Specialist Palliative Care Multidisciplinary team (Anne Marie Brandon, 2010). In addition, the advantage of being capable of getting to know the requirements of their patients more closely should not be ignored. At the time of nursing, patients encountering spiritual injury/distress, knowing their favored mode of interacting should improve the communication skill that they had with their care team. Understanding of the probable reactions patients could have when they were in the grip of their inferior function could diminish the possibility for fear that this event might otherwise cause.

In their investigation in the Mashhad city, Naghmeh Mokhber et al (2013) discovered that there was a significant difference in the distribution of personality types between the patients who suffered from vascular headaches and tension-type headaches. Introverted, sensing, thinking and judging (ISTJ) type of patients suffered more with vascular headaches, as compared to extraversion, intuitional, feeling, and perceiving (ENFP) among the tension-type headaches.

Nurses:

In order to serve efficiently in academic and clinical settings nursing students need tools for understanding both self and others. In this regards knowledge of personality preferences offers students useful apparatus for educational and individual development (Oh, Y.K. et. al, 2007). Personality types had been consistently linked to occupational choices. Studies using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) had dependable findings when evaluating personality types (Maj Moore Kelly C, 1998). The purpose of Maj Moore Kelly C study was to portray the personality profiles found in Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist (SRNAs) and Student Family Nurse Practitioners (SFNPs) before they started their graduate programs. Using MBTI he collected data from uniformed service nurses who were selected for anesthetist and family nurse practitioner programs for the Uniformed Service University the Health Sciences (USUHS). There was more military type in SRNAs than SFNPs and nursing category was found more in SFNPs than SRN. ESTJ was the personality type of both the groups. This type of students tends to be quite and like well structure and practical courses. They irritated by intuitive-perceiving teachers and when the lectures did not follow the factual and concrete materials. The descriptive study concluded that understanding of personality types of students assist faculty in commencing programs to facilitate the students better know the methods of instruction, test taking, and communicating.

Bean and Holcombe (1993) explored personality types as indicated by MBTI amongst oncology nurses and found that more than 65% of the nurses were introverts. In 2003 Gambles et al. applied the 16PF (Primary Factor) personality inventory to collect data from palliative care nurses, and found extroversion traits scores higher. The results of both the study showed the significance of introvert – extrovert personality dimension amongst nurses.

Lim et al.’s (2001) study found nursing students were predominantly ISTJ, ESTJ, ESFJ, and ISFJ of personal type. In 2014 Kim, Mi-Ran, and Han, Su-Jeong examined the characteristics of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) in nursing students who studied in a Korean university. Analysis of data revealed that the nursing students had a preference for Extrovert, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging. All 16 personality types in the MBTI could be found among the participants and data revealed that students were predominantly of four personality types (ESFJ, ESTJ, ISTJ, and ENFJ). The findings of Kim, Mi-Ran, and Han, Su-Jeong (2014) recommended that in developing teaching strategies, learning methodologies and counseling students’ personality should be considered.

In another study Mi-Ran Kim and Su-Jeong Han(2014) also investigated the relationship between personality dimension as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), academic performance and student satisfaction in nursing students. The results of Descriptive statistics t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlations technique showed that Judging types scored higher in academic performance and Extrovert types scored higher in student satisfaction. It meant that in nursing students according to MBTI personality types students’ academic achievement levels and student satisfaction be different.

Han AK et.al. (2005) conducted a study to inspect the relations between personality type and job satisfaction of nurses. The outcome revealed that there was no statistically significant correlation between job satisfaction and information gathering functions but the style for gaining energy and life dealing style were significantly correlated with job satisfaction. Nurses in the extrovert and judgment types were more satisfied with their jobs than those in the introvert and perceptive type. In 2010, Meeusen VC et.al. also studied the relationship between personality dimensions and job satisfaction. The result of multiple regression analysis indicated that two personality dimensions Extraversion-introversion (E-I) and Judgment-perception (J-P) were important predictors of job satisfaction amongst Dutch nurse anesthetists. There was a negative correlation between the personality dimension and age. E-I revealed the predictable development in this personality dimension in older nurse anesthetists. The study concluded that MBTI were modestly influenced satisfaction amongst Dutch nurse anesthetists.

Dentists:

Over the years researchers have reported that dental students’ academic achievement and satisfaction affected by their personality. MBTI is one of the instruments which have been widely used to determine dental students’ personality dimension. Sensing and Thinking (ST) as well as Sensing and Feeling (SF) were most common combinations of personality among undergraduate dental student (Silberman SL et.al.1982, Erskine CG et.al 1986 and Silberman SL et al 1992). These studies discovered that ESTJ (Extraversion, Sensing, Thinking, and Judging) and ESFJ (Extraversion, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging) were the two most common personality types of dental students.

Silberman et al.(1992) and McDaniel et al.91985) compared results of MBTI for the four undergraduate classes for students at the beginning and end of their dental education and found that personality type remained quite stable from matriculation to graduation. These findings support the concept that a person’s personality type does not change over time.

Westerman GH et al (1989) studied the relationship between personality preferences and academic performance of dental students in four successive first-year classes from 1983 to 86, they reported that correlation between the study variables was a low and academic performance not related to personality preferences.

Jones A.C et.al.(1997) found that introverted students significantly improved their performance. Compare to extroverted students they showed a gradually lower class rank over the four-year period and faced main academic difficulties. Judging and sensing individuals ranked higher in class than perceiving and intuitive students. Perceiving students were also found to display major difficulties than judging individuals.

Stephen A. Jessee et.al. (2006) carried out a study to discover the most common personality types among first- and second-year undergraduate dental students of Texas University and to identify teaching styles that match the learning preferences of undergraduate dental students while attracting the quality of patient care. ISTJ, ESFJ, ESTJ, and ISFJ were identified as the four common personalities among students, with a tendency for Sensing (desire for facts, use of mind) over Intuition (look for potential, interaction) and Judging (prefers decisiveness, closure) over Perceiving (desire flexibility, spontaneity). ISTJ over presented in the sample, they are generally paying more interest on their assigned tasks than to the judgment of others, presuming that they have alike viewpoint and values.

Ronald B. Baran (2012) examined the relation between personality, job satisfaction and burnout. Out of 16 personality types of MBTI ESFJ and ENFP were overrepresented, whereas INTP and INTJ types were underrepresented in the study sample. More than half of the dentists were dissatisfied with their profession. ESFJ and ENFP tended to have a higher level of satisfaction and a lower level of burnout compared to their follower’s group.

Dietitians:

Robin Brown Fellers (1974) conducted a study to spot out personality types and to find a relationship to career satisfaction of dietitians were who the members of the American Dietetic Association. An attempt was also made to verify whether satisfaction with a specialty (clinical, administrative, and educational) within the field could be predicted. Findings revealed that dietitians did not exhibit any typical personality type preference. ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTJ, and ESFJ were overrepresented in the sample and sensing and judging was the common dimension. Dietitians were skilled in managing concrete experiences and fond of to have things planned; they are well qualified to give detailed and systematic health care. In terms of specialty ISFJ, ESTJ and ESFJ were characterized by clinicians, administrators and educators respectively. There was no significant personality difference between satisfied and dissatisfied dietitians with their career. Hence, it could not be possible to predict career satisfaction with MBTI score. Compare to introversion dietitians extroversion dietitians were more likely to be satisfied with their current specialty. Also, intuitive - feeling types who saw potential and exhibit interest and insight, were more likely to be dissatisfied than sensing -feeling types, who were sensible, compassionate, friendly, and sociable

Leadership:

To get an overview of the personality types of physicians in leadership roles (e.g., executives). Richard Aranda (2013) reviewed in recent time’s available MBTI data from 2002 to -2006. Predominant preference of physicians was the TJ (Thinking/Judging) combination and highest representation of this combination were surgeons. The TJ combination was also common among a good number of executives. It indicates that those motivated for leadership roles should be conscious of the facets of Thinking (logical, reasonable, questioning, critical, and tough- minded) and Judging (systematic, early starting, scheduled and methodical). For physicians to have leadership success or even reach executive ranks the required MBTI combination was TJ. Physicians with a preference of opposite TJ facet must be aware of their strengths and weakness. The review concluded that physician who would like to optimize leadership ability to build up an inclusive plan of leadership skill development and the health institution that provide work for the physician as an executive should arrange training program for leadership skill development.

The purpose of Wendy Ringgenberg (2004) study was to compare the personality as measured by MBTI of students and practitioners of nursing home administration. Data collected from 108 administrators and 40 students showed that the two groups were found to be significantly different on two dimensions, T-F, and whole type. The TF difference was supposed as having a gender bias, and complementary examination established that this was, in fact, the case. Gender was a better predictor of T or F preference, and gender and type could effectively predict those with an F preference 75% of the time. The whole type indicated to a significant difference on the ISFJ type. ENFPs types were found in both the group and they were attracted to the educational program. Students and practitioners of nursing home administration were tended to display ISFJs and ISTJs types respectively. The students sample represented more of ISFJ types than in the administrator sample. All MBTI types were represented in the administrator sample, demonstrating an occupation that requires numerous changeable talents.

CONCLUSION:

This review of research literature shows that MBTI has been extensively used in medical specialty choice and few personality types as measured by MBTI were weakly related to particular medical specialty. Though, within medical specialties the variation in personality traits is more than between them. As a result, it can be concluded that all personality types show in all specialties and then state that a particular personality type fits for more than one medical specialty.

In the physicians type distribution, from 1950, there has been little changes noticed in this review. The percentage of the Jungian type of personality among physicians has increased. This may due to more use of technology in the medical field and allowing the doctors to examine the risk formally rather than informally. Today, with their profession physician have to do more paperwork and acts as bureaucrat this may be the reason of increasing Jungian type in medical science. The analysis of literature indicates that in contrast to early fifty’s more women are joining the medical profession and they are mostly feeling type of personality. Women have a tendency to opt primary care specialties and often within primary care family medicine (Suzanne Brue).

Though in medical education research MBTI has been widely used, with the assurance it cannot be said that in medical education which personality type performs better, and in a specific specialty and subspecialty which personality type predicts student’s interest. In general, the MBTI does not seem to be a valuable tool in predicting specialty choice, academic performance and academic achievement in medical school and in predicting physician job satisfaction, though very few studies have been found which apply MBTI to examine the relation between personality and physician job satisfaction.

Most of the literature is related to students and physician or doctors. There is a dearth of research relating to other health professions such as Dietician, Radiologists, and Pathologists etc. Nowadays especially in public health institution physicians have also to act as managers and leaders. A very little number of studies examine the physician role as leader. The present review result reveals that except one literature all are from out of our country. There is ample scope to carry out future research in India in health professions which could be to examine the relation between personality type and work behavior such as performance, success and job satisfaction. Future research could also be carried out to study how personality patterns interrelate with medical specialty work environments and to examine how various personalities are successful in the same specialty. Future research could be focused on how personality traits and personality patterns influence decision-making process and affect profession choices. The aim of such investigation would be to recognize personal styles and strategies for coping with the everyday jobs or profession.

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Received on 01.07.2016 Modified on 16.07.2016

Asian J. Management. 2016; 7(4): 297-306.

DOI: 10.5958/2321-5763.2016.00045.7