Abstract
BackgroundTrends in career choice amongst medical graduates have considerable implications for the percentage of the workforce available for training.ObjectiveTo investigate and review factors affecting career choice by undergraduate first-year medical students.MethodThis was a cross-sectional study using a closed-ended, semi-structured survey instrument. Two hundred and four questionnaires were administered to all first-year medical students at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine in the first term of the 2012 academic session.ResultsThe questionnaire was completed by 167 out of 204 students (81.8% response rate). Most of the respondents were South Africans (91%) and blacks (72%), with a higher proportion of women to men (2:1). The majority (86%) intended to undertake their postgraduate training in surgical specialties (53%), general surgery (50%) and cardiology (46%). Few were interested in an academic career in basic sciences (27.6%), either because they were not interested in research and/or teaching (48%), not clinically-orientated (20%), or found it to be an unattractive choice (12.3%). The top perceived career-related factors favouring choice of speciality were personal interest and benefits to patients as many (83%) respondents still viewed the medical profession as having a bright future in South Africa.ConclusionsOur study highlighted the fact that self and patient interests were strong determinants of speciality choices by the students and the role of parents and practice in rural areas were considered least as potential influencing factors. This would appear to be a good indicator that the healthcare sector may be boosted in the future by doctors who are wholeheartedly committed to the service of the communities with the greatest disease burden.
Highlights
Career choices of medical students have become a topic that attracts the interest of medical educators as well as health service providers globally.[3]
Researchers have approached the topic in a number of ways, most approaches have tended to focus on narrow elements of the choice, such as the effect of programmes or curricula.[11]
There have been studies on the career plans of final-year medical students in South Africa,[12] Pakistan,[2,18] Nigeria[19,20] and the United States of America,[5] there is a paucity of information regarding studies of career choices of first-year medical students and factors that precipitate changes in these choices during the course of medical training in South Africa
Summary
Medical education has tried to keep up with the changing health system over the years, despite its regional variability.[1,2] Career choices of medical students have become a topic that attracts the interest of medical educators as well as health service providers globally.[3]. Researchers have approached the topic in a number of ways, most approaches have tended to focus on narrow elements of the choice, such as the effect of programmes or curricula.[11] From a global perspective, there have been significant changes in medical students’ career choices in countries such as USA,[5] South Africa[12] and Australia.[13] medical students who are deciding which specialities to enter do not always choose the one they prefer.[14] Again, the emphasis in medicine has shifted toward increasing the number of physicians who choose certain specialities over others, in order to balance region- and/or country-specific needs This trend creates an unfavourable shift that may disadvantage certain specialities of the medical sciences disciplines, leading to a persistent dearth of the experts who are needed to continue the training of medical students in the various tertiary centres across the country. Trends in career choice amongst medical graduates have considerable implications for the percentage of the workforce available for training
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