Career Intentions Of Medical Students Research Articles

Changes in the attractiveness of medical careers and career determinants during the bachelor’s program at Zurich medical schools

BackgroundMonitoring the career intentions of medical students during their undergraduate studies could help to address the shortage of physicians, particularly in general practice. This study aimed to investigate changes in medical students' career openness, attractiveness and determinants of medical career choice during their bachelor’s studies.MethodsThe design was cross-sectional, recruiting all medical students who started a bachelor’s program in one of the four different educational tracks in Zurich, Switzerland, in the fall of 2019 (first survey) and completed it in the summer of 2022 (second survey). Students’ perceptions of the attractiveness and determinants of different medical career options were assessed using a structured online questionnaire. Absolute changes between the two-time points were reported in percentage points overall and by educational track. Regression analysis was used to examine the association of student characteristics and determinants of career options with the attractiveness of each option.ResultsWe surveyed 354 medical students at the beginning and 433 at the end of the bachelor’s program (participation rate: 71.1% and 86.9%, respectively). Overall, the proportion of students open to all proposed medical career options decreased (from 52.8% to 43.8%, p = 0.004). The attractiveness of outpatient gynecology or pediatrics increased (from 27.4% to 43.4%, p < 0.001), whereas the attractiveness of both general and specialized inpatient care decreased (from 47.8% to 40.3%, p = 0.05 and from 71.1% to 61.1%, p = 0.006 respectively). There was an increase in the proportion of students who perceived part-time work, autonomy and relationships with patients as important career determinants (from 47.3% to 64.7%, p < 0.001; from 63.3% to 77.8%, p < 0.001; from 80.8% to 89.3%, p = 0.002 respectively), while the importance of reputation and career opportunities decreased (from 42.6% to 26.2%, p < 0.001; from 79.2% to 63.6%, p < 0.001 respectively). The importance of part-time work and relationships with patients were positively associated with the attractiveness of general practice.ConclusionsDuring the bachelor’s program, the attractiveness of a career in general practice tended to decrease, but the importance of part-time work, autonomy and relationships with patients as career determinants increased. Helping students understand how these determinants relate to general practice may increase their interest in the profession.Trial registrationNot applicable.

Factors influencing medical students' decision to pursue a career in obstetrics and gynaecology.

The career intentions of medical students can exert influence on service provision and medical staffing in the health services. It is vital for a specialty's development and sustainability that it has a constant stream of trainees into it annually. An appreciation of how a specialty is viewed by medical students can be used as an opportunity for early intervention in order to improve perception of the specialty and reduce future workforce problems, such as retention and attrition within obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G). We aimed to analyse positive and negative factors of the specialty of O&G as perceived by medical students in order to gain insight into changes that need to be made to improve recruitment and retention into the specialty. A 70-item structured questionnaire consisting of demographic information and 5-point Likert scale questions relating to O&G was administered to final year medical students in the Republic of Ireland. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and odds ratios as appropriate. Of 195 medical students approached, 134 completed the questionnaire, a response rate of 68.7%. The majority were female (55.2%, n = 74) and 76.1% of respondents (n = 102) were Direct Entry Medicine students, with the remainder Graduate Entry Medicine students. 30.8% (n = 41) of students who responded scored 6 or more on a 10-point Likert scale when asked about their likelihood of considering a career in O&G. Students' clerkship experience factored heavily into their perception of the specialty and was more likely to be positive if they experienced direct consultant engagement and the opportunity for hands-on experience. Lifestyle factors, litigation and media were found to be deterrents to considering the specialty after graduation. This study demonstrates the importance of good clerkship experience in fostering an interest amongst undergraduates in O&G. Educators and those working within the specialty should showcase the strengths of the specialty during undergraduate education, and work on ameliorating deterrents to ultimately provide a structured approach to improving recruitment into O&G.

Career intentions of medical students in the UK: a national, cross-sectional study (AIMS study)

ObjectiveTo determine current UK medical students’ career intentions after graduation and on completing the Foundation Programme (FP), and to ascertain the motivations behind these intentions.DesignCross-sectional, mixed-methods survey of UK medical...

Ascertaining the Career Intentions of Medical Students (AIMS) in the United Kingdom Post Graduation: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

Among doctors in the United Kingdom, there is growing sentiment regarding delaying specialist training, emigrating to practice medicine abroad, or leaving the profession altogether. This trend may have substantial implications for the future of the profession in the United Kingdom. The extent to which this sentiment is also present in the medical student population is not well understood. Our primary outcome is to determine current medical students' career intentions after graduation and upon completing the foundation program and to establish the motivations behind these intentions. Secondary outcomes include determining which, if any, demographic factors alter the propensity to pursue different career paths available to a medical graduate, determining which specialties medical students plan on pursuing, and understanding current views on the prospect of working in the National Health Service (NHS). The Ascertaining the Career Intentions of Medical Students (AIMS) study is a national, multi-institution, and cross-sectional study in which all medical students at all medical schools in the United Kingdom are eligible to participate. It was administered via a novel, mixed methods, and web-based questionnaire and disseminated through a collaborative network of approximately 200 students recruited for this purpose. Both quantitative and thematic analyses will be performed. The study was launched nationally on January 16, 2023. Data collection was closed on March 27, 2023, and data analysis has commenced. The results are expected to be available later in the year. Doctors' career satisfaction within the NHS is a well-researched topic; however, there is a shortage of high-powered studies that are able to offer insight into medical students' outlook on their future careers. It is anticipated that the results of this study will bring clarity to this issue. Identified areas of improvement in medical training or within the NHS could be targeted to improve doctors' working conditions and help retain medical graduates. Results may also aid future workforce-planning efforts. DERR1-10.2196/45992.

What factors influence medical students to enter a career in general practice? A scoping review.

Internationally, healthcare systems are providing more community-based care. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for GPs and other healthcare professionals to work in primary care and this has implications for undergraduate medical education. In this scoping review, we aim to examine 'What factors positively influence medical students to pursue a career in general practice?' The five-stage framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) was utilized to review the extant literature. Fourteen records were included in the review. Medical students are influenced to pursue a career in general practice due to curriculum factors such as exposure, positive clinical rotation experiences, positive GP role models and maintaining a positive view of the profession at an early stage of their time as a medical student. Intrinsic factors such as student attributes, the influence of family, friends and the community where people live and having a strong orientation to social concerns were factors that make students more likely to pursue a career in the specialty. There is a shortage of literature from an Irish context examining the career intentions of medical students specifically. However, those studies which were conducted in Ireland reported similar findings to those conducted elsewhere. Curriculum and personal factors have a key role in influencing students to pursue a career in general practice. As much of the existing research involves cross-sectional designs involving small numbers of participants, further research adopting prospective, quasi-experimental designs involving larger cohorts is a priority.

Career Intentions of Medical Students for Surgery: Links with Academic Motivation and Quality of Life

Factors such as gender and experiences on clerkships, have been shown to play a role in influencing medical students’ career intentions towards surgery. However, less certain is the role of medical students’ academic motivation and quality of life. The aim of the study was to explore the links between age, gender, motivation, quality of life, and career intention for surgery.

Career and practice intentions of health science students at three South African health science faculties

Background. The distribution and accessibility of healthcare professionals as well as the quality of healthcare services are significantly affected by the career choices of medical and other health science graduates. Objective. While much has been reported on the career intentions of medical students, little is known about those of their counterparts in the health sciences. This study describes the career plans of non-medical health science students at three South African health science faculties, and identifies some key motivating factors. Methods. A self-administered survey of first- and final-year health science students was conducted at the health science faculties of the universities of Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. All data were entered into EpiData software and exported for analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics 19.0. Results and discussion. The overall response rate was 47% ( N =816). Over half of all respondents (57%, n =467) intended to work after completing their undergraduate studies, 38% ( n =177) of these in a rural area. The most popular choices were private hospitals (58%, n =273), tertiary hospitals (53%, n =249) and private practices (51%, n =249). Thirty-two per cent ( n =258) of respondents intended to further their studies. Just over half of all respondents intended to work in another country (51%, n =418), primarily motivated by career development, financial reasons and job opportunities. Conclusion. The findings demonstrate that health science students, similar to medical students, are influenced by a multitude of factors in making career choices. This emphasises the relevance to all health science disciplines of national strategies to address the maldistribution of healthcare professionals.

Would you be a geriatrician? Student career preferences and attitudes to a career in geriatric medicine

career intentions of medical students may impact on education and workforce planning. We sought to determine (i) career choices of senior medical students; (ii) interest in geriatric medicine; (iii) factors influencing such choices; and (iv) the impact of a 6-week Medicine in the Community module. cross-sectional survey of all senior UCD medical students, before and after completion of a 'Medicine in the Community' module, 2009-11. eighty-two per cent (274/336) completed the survey at module's end. Two-thirds (174) had chosen a future speciality, most frequently general practice (32.1%) and internal medicine (17%). Half (49.8%) believed career selection is made during medical school. Thirty-one per cent would consider a career in geriatric medicine; reasons cited were interesting field (34.5%), clinical variety (25%) and perception as emotionally rewarding (20.2%). Commonest deterrents were perceived slowness-of-pace and not wanting to work with older patients. Female students (adjusted OR: 1.89, P = 0.05) and those prioritising travel opportunities (adjusted OR: 2.77, P = 0.01) were more likely to consider geriatric medicine. Half (51.5%) reported that the community medicine module increased their interest in geriatric medicine; 91.3% that it would positively influence how they treated older patients. Students reporting a positive influence of the module were more likely to consider a career in geriatric medicine (OR: 1.62, P = 0.02). two-thirds of students had already chosen a future speciality. One-third would consider geriatric medicine. This may have important implications for workforce planning and development of geriatric medicine. Undergraduate exposure to the discipline may increase interest in geriatric medicine as a career, and positively influence management of older patients.

Career intentions of medical students

Career intentions of medical students

Postgraduate career intentions of medical students and recent graduates in Malawi: a qualitative interview study.

BackgroundIn 2004, the Malawian Ministry of Health declared a human resource crisis and launched a six year Emergency Human Resources Programme. This included salary supplements for key health workers and a tripling of doctors in training. By 2010, the number of medical graduates had doubled and significantly more doctors were working in rural district hospitals. Yet there has been little research into the views of this next generation of doctors in Malawi, who are crucial to the continuing success of the programme. The aim of this study was to explore the factors influencing the career plans of medical students and recent graduates with regard to four policy-relevant aspects: emigration outside Malawi; working at district level; private sector employment and postgraduate specialisation.MethodsTwelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourth year medical students and first year graduates, recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Key informant interviews were also carried out with medical school faculty. Recordings were transcribed and analysed using a framework approach.ResultsOpportunities for postgraduate training emerged as the most important factor in participants’ career choices, with specialisation seen as vital to career progression. All participants intended to work in Malawi in the long term, after a period of time outside the country. For nearly all participants, this was in the pursuit of postgraduate study rather than higher salaries. In general, medical students and young doctors were enthusiastic about working at district level, although this is curtailed by their desire for specialist training and frustration with resource shortages. There is currently little intention to move into the private sector.ConclusionsFuture resourcing of postgraduate training opportunities is crucial to preventing emigration as graduate numbers increase. The lesser importance put on salary by younger doctors may be an indicator of the success of salary supplements. In order to retain doctors at district levels for longer, consideration should be given to the introduction of general practice/family medicine as a specialty. Returning specialists should be encouraged to engage with younger colleagues as role models and mentors.

Career intentions of medical students in the setting of Nepal's rapidly expanding private medical education system

The number of medical students trained in Nepal each year has increased nearly fifty-fold in the last 15 years, primarily through the creation of private medical schools. It is unknown where this expanding cohort of new physicians will ultimately practice. We distributed an anonymous survey to students in their last 2 years of medical school at four medical schools in Nepal to examine two dimensions of career intention: the intention to practice in Nepal and the intention to practice in rural areas. Eighty-five per cent of the eligible study population participated, for a total of 469 medical students. Of these, 88% thought it was likely they would practice in Nepal and 88% thought it likely they would practice in urban areas. Those students who indicated a greater likelihood of practicing abroad came from families with higher incomes, were more likely to think earning a good salary was very important to their decision to become a physician, and were less likely to think they could earn a good salary in Nepal. Students whose tuition was paid by the government were no more likely to indicate an intention to practice in Nepal than students paying their own tuition at private medical schools. Students who indicated a greater likelihood of practicing in rural areas were more likely to be male, to have gone to a government secondary school, to have been born in a village, or to have received a scholarship from the Ministry of Education that requires rural service. Based on our findings, we suggest the following policy changes: (1) medical schools consider selecting for students from rural backgrounds or government secondary schools who are more likely to intend to practice in rural areas, and (2) increase the number of post-graduate positions--weighted toward rural health needs--to retain students in Nepal.

Career intentions of medical students trained in six sub-Saharan African countries

Career intentions of medical students trained in six sub-Saharan African countries

What specialty after registration?

A few people know what career in medicine they wish to follow almost from schooldays. Some become interested in a subject as they go through the medical course and stick to that. Evidence about the career intentions of medical students shows that a large number of students keep changing their choice of career. This might be expected because few medical students have any real knowledge of many of the subjects and specialties of medicine?for example, pharmacology, pathology, radiology, oncology, ear, nose, and throat surgery, and ophthalmology. Students may not even be aware of the existence of endo? crinology or immunochemistry, for example. During the medical course their eyes are opened to worlds of which they never knew. Quite apart from the intrinsic interest of a particular subject, a student may be very much influenced by his high regard for a teacher of the subject. Their two personalities may be congruent, or the one may spark the other. There may be admiration and a desire to emulate, and these may be valuable in choosing a career. There are many doctors just registered who have not made up their minds or made decisions about what they ultimately want to do. There is no need for them to panic or be made uncomfort? able by those who are confident and sure. There is still plenty of time and opportunity left. The year or two after graduation may be looked on as experimental in deciding what you want to do, or as a series of liaisons before marriage. The object of an engagement is that it may be broken off before total commitment without undue harm to either party. The fact is that you cannot know what it means to practise a discipline of medicine until you have done so for some time. You develop images of these disciplines in your mind, which may or may not accord with reality. Many of them you discard because you cannot see yourself in them for a lifetime. This rejection is based in part on emotion and in part on your estimate of yourself, your interests, and your capabilities. All of these may mislead you, but you can probably trust yourself to know what you do not wish to do. The obvious choices here are those for or against surgery, or medicine, or laboratory medicine. A lot of people, for instance, know that they do not wish to practice surgery or obstetrics and gynaecology or paediatrics. If you think that you might like any of these specialties it might be sensible to take a six-month senior house officer post in the subject. Nothing will be lost, and the experience gained in anything medical is rarely without value intellectually or for later practice. Obviously you cannot go on sampling experiences indefinitely, but devoting a year to it, say, will not have been wasted. After all, you are taking a decision that may affect the whole of your professional, social, and domestic life, and you presumably want your career to give you enjoyment and satisfaction in many ways, including service to others. Deciding on which specialty to enter cannot be delayed indefinitely, but neither does it need to be rushed when there is genuine doubt.