Choice Of Future Specialty Research Articles

Awareness among medical students regarding the binocularity level in the course of future specialty choice.

Vision standards exist in many occupations with particular reference to medical science. The presence of a sufficient level of binocular vision is especially important in surgical specialty to perform visually demanding procedures. The purpose of this study was to reveal the level of awareness of one's binocular status among medical students, and the significance of having binocular vision in terms of specialty choice. self-constructed questionnaire was given to all subjects enrolled in the study. The first group comprised 53 students from the second and third year of the Medical University of Lodz, who then underwent an ophthalmological examination with binocularity assessment. The second group included 57 students of the last years of the Medical Faculty, who did the same survey and outlined how the ophthalmology course improved their knowledge of stereoacuity and vision requirements for the chosen specialty. Statistical analysis was performed using Person's χ2 test. Overall, 32% (N = 17) of the students from the first group and 84% (N = 48) from the second group stated to be familiar with the term "binocularity" and its importance in performing surgical procedures. The awareness of the existing occupational contraindications related to low visual acuity and binocularity was declared by 16% (N = 9) and 54% (N = 31) of the subjects included in each group, respectively. University lectures were indicated as the main source of knowledge by 28% (N = 15) of the individuals from the first group and by 59% (N = 39) from the second group. The ophthalmology course was considered to be sufficiently covering the basics needed for the future doctor by 34 resident physicians (60%). The medical students' awareness of their own binocular status appears low. There is a strong need for implementing at least some quality standards for visual assessment to decide if a given student has an adequate eye function to participate in surgical procedures. Med Pr. 2020;71(1):9-16.

‘The HippocraTORs and TEEs Club' – the practicalities of implementing a local mentorship programme in a large teaching hospital

We designed and implemented a mentorship programme for core medical trainees (CMTs) in our trust with a specialty focus based on trainee-defined objectives. We ascertained the future specialty choices of the CMTs in our hospital. Based on these choices, we identified potential suitable mentors in individual specialties and linked the groups of trainees and mentors together. Two to three mentors were …

РОЛЬ ДЕКАНАТА В РЕАЛИЗАЦИИ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТНОГО ПОДХОДА ПРИ ФОРМИРОВАНИИ ЛИЧНОСТИ БУДУЩЕГО ВЫПУСКНИКА

В медицинском университете, где объектом влияния является человек, качество будущего специалиста должно быть не на порядок, а значительно выше, чем в любом другом высшем учебном заведении. Студент-медик должен иметь поликультурный тип личности: обладать развитыми потребностями в познании окружающей действительности, понимать высокую ценность человеческой жизни, обладать развитым интеллектом. Конечная цель работы всех факультетов медицинского университета - выпуск квалифицированного врача, который будет способен решать глобальные задачи по охране и сохранению здоровья населения. На каждом факультете работа со студентами организуется деканатами, которые совместно с кафедральными коллективами тесно работают со студентами на всех этапах их становления и как специалиста и как личности. Выбор будущей специальности является важной задачей для выпускника школы. Абитуриенту нужна квалифицированная помощь в выборе профессии, которой он посвятит свое будущее. Для этого на каждом факультете работает комиссия по профессиональной ориентации, главной задачей которой – помочь выпускнику образовательных школ, лицеев, медицинских училищ в выборе своего призвания.Следующим немаловажным шагом в создании будущего высококвалифицированного специалиста-медика является формирование квалифицированного состава приемной комиссии. Успех работы врача, как правило, зависит от работы целого коллектива медицинских работников. Деканатом скрупулезно и ответственно проводится работа по формированию первого трудового коллектива студентов.С первых дней учебы в университете студент сталкивается с новой системой обучения, которая существенно отличается от школьной. И в этот момент неоценима работа куратора студенческой группы, благодаря которому обеспечивается адаптация вчерашнего школьника к работе в качестве студента медицинского университетаВрач - это не только высококвалифицированный специалист, а и ученый, который всю профессиональную жизнь занимается наукой. Деканат и кафедральные коллективы организуют работу студенческих научных обществ. Воспитание студентов невозможно без совместной работы деканата и родителей. Нельзя исключать воспитательную роль родителей и родственников в период обучения студента в университете.Как правило, выпускниками не прерывается связь и по окончании ВУЗа. Профессия врача требует у молодого специалиста постоянного контакта с коллегами. Деканат и руководство университета продолжает свою работу по воспитанию специалистов, организуя последипломный этап обучения и ежегодное повышение квалификации врачей. Успешность обучения студентов в университете во многом зависит от реальных условий их жизнедеятельности, характером возникающих в процессе учебы проблем и возможностям их разрешения со стороны администрации и деканата. Только учить – это мало, надо еще и воспитывать. Высшее образование не может быть сведено лишь к обучению, оно требует целенаправленного воспитания молодого поколения. Профессиональное обучение и воспитание должны слиться в органический процесс становления профессиональной компетентности специалиста с университетским уровнем культуры и формирования его личности.

Sexual Health Knowledge of U.S. Medical Students: A National Survey

BackgroundSexual health is a critical component of overall wellness; however, only half of U.S. medical schools currently require formal instruction in sexuality. AimThis study sought to quantify the sexual health knowledge of undergraduate medical students using a novel survey tool evaluating 6 domains: sexual function and dysfunction; fertility and reproduction; sexuality across the lifespan; sexual minority health; society, culture, and behavior; as well as safety and prevention. MethodsA novel 32-question survey tool was developed by subject matter experts from the University of Minnesota Program in Human Sexuality. Survey questions were derived from the 2012 and 2014 Summits on Medical School Education in Sexual Health as well as the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States Guidelines for Kindergarten through 12th Grade. The total knowledge score was calculated out of 30 points (excluding 2 terminology questions that were subjective). Medical students at 178 allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in the United States were invited to take the online survey. OutcomesStudents performed below a passing rate (70%) in 4 of the 6 knowledge categories and below a passing rate overall in the knowledge assessment. ResultsSurvey respondents (n = 1,014) scored an average of 66% correct (approximately 20/30). Overall, students scored lowest on questions regarding safety and prevention (x- = 49%) and highest on questions regarding sexuality across the lifespan (x- = 75%). Higher knowledge scores were associated with the following variables (P < .05): medical school year, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, future medical specialty choice, program type (MD/DO), and taking a human sexuality course in medical school. Clinical ImplicationsMedical students may be under-prepared to address essential sexual health issues in future clinical practice. Strengths & LimitationsTo the knowledge of the authors this is the only contemporary study seeking to measure U.S. medical student sexual health knowledge. Limitations include sample population size and diversity as well as a non-validated survey tool. ConclusionSignificant advances must be made in undergraduate medical education in order to prepare future physicians to address critical issues such as sexually transmitted disease, family planning, and health disparities.Warner C, Carlson S, Crichlow R, et al. Sexual Health Knowledge of U.S. Medical Students: A National Survey. J Sex Med 2018;15:1093–1102.

Color vision deficiency among biomedical students: a cross-sectional study.

PurposeTo determine the prevalence of color vision deficiency (CVD) among first-cycle students of the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of the University of Yaoundé I.Patients and methodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out between October 1, 2015 and May 31, 2016. Distant visual acuity was measured and color vision test done for all consenting students. Ishihara’s plates were used to test all the participants. Those who failed the test were tested with the Roth’s 28 Hue test for confirmation of CVD and classification.ResultsA total of 303 students were included, among whom 155 were males (50.8%) and 148 were females (49.2%). The mean age was 20.2±2 years. Five students (1.6%) failed the Ishihara’s plate testing. Roth’s 28 Hue test confirmed CVD in 4 of those cases, giving a prevalence of 1.3%. There were equal numbers of protan and deutan CVD.ConclusionDespite its low prevalence among first-cycle students of the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, CVD screening should be performed in order to raise awareness, which will go a long way to help orientate the choice of future specialty.

Profile of the General Surgery resident: what are the changes in the 21 st Century?

to verify the profile of the General Surgery residents of the Clinics Hospital (HC) of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (FMUSP). we evaluated the residents approved in the public contest for the Medical Residency Program in General Surgery of HC-FMUSP in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016. We carried out the study by applying a questionnaire and gathering information from the Medical Residency Commission of the Institution. We analyzed data on identification, origin of the candidate, undergraduate school, surgical teaching received, reason for choosing Surgery, residency expectations, choice of future specialty and pretensions as to the end of medical residency. We also analyzed the result of the examination of access to specialties. the mean age was 25.8 years; 74.3% of residents were male. The majority (84.4%) had attended public medical schools, 68% of which were not in the Southeast region; 85,2% of the residents were approved in the first contest. The specialty choice was present for 75.9% of individuals at the beginning of the residency program, but 49.5% changed their minds during training. Plastic Surgery, Urology and Digestive System Surgery were chosen by 61.5%. Sixty hours per week work were considered adequate by 83.3%; 27.3% favored direct access to the specialty. At the end of the specialty, 53.3% intended to continue in São Paulo, and 26.2%, to return to their State of origin. A strict-sense post-graduate course was intended by 68.3%. the current profile of the resident reveals a reduction in the demand for General Surgery, an earlier definition of the specialty, options for increasingly specific areas and an activity that offers a better quality of life.

Motivational reasons for choosing dentistry as a professional career & factors affecting specialty choice among final year dental students

The study aimed to evaluate factors affecting the choice of dentistry as a career as well as the choice of future specialty among senior dental students registered in British University of Egypt (BUE), during the academic year 2016/2017. A questionnaire form was downloaded from the students learning forum (e-learning), the students were then asked to fill up the form and hand it in during class. Results: Out of 200, 181 students responded to the survey, with a response rate of 90.5%. 67% of the students chose dentistry according to their own will, 20.1% due to family pressure, while only 12.8% were due to their high school grades. Fixed prosthodontics was the most favored specialty among the students who aimed for further postgraduate education (23.8%) while endodontics ranked as the second most popular specialty (22.7%) and Oral surgery came in the third rank (11%). There was a statistically significant difference between males and females in choosing fixed prosthodontics as well as oral pathology (p-value ≤ 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that “High school category” showed statistical significance in the prediction, p < 0.05 Conclusion: 67% of our respondents think they were given sufficient inspiration and guidance to decide on future plans, while, 39% of these students were guided by faculty staff members, which constituted the highest influence rather than recommendations from practicing dentists, family members or friends.

Is there an association between nurse, clinical teacher and peer feedback for trainee doctors’ medical specialty choice? An observational study in Taiwan

ObjectivesThis study explored whether there is an association between medical trainees’ future specialty choices and the 360-degree feedback they receive. We hypothesised that the higher the scores that teachers, trainees...

Personal Handheld Ultrasound Devices in the Hands of First Year Medical Students

Ultrasound education continues to be integrated into gross anatomy courses in the United States. The team based design of the anatomy course at Mayo Clinic School of Medicine incorporates team‐based ultrasound oriented activities that are formalized through defined course objectives and assessed in the final examination. Providing personal handheld ultrasound devices to first‐year medical students during the gross anatomy course has been the mainstay of ultrasound education for the past three years. Handheld ultrasound devices have been provided to students for limited periods in some medical schools within the United States, but unique to this curriculum, students are assigned devices that can be utilized outside formal class time. This provides unlimited opportunity to apply their understanding of three‐dimensional, living anatomy, while simultaneously promoting student comfort and engagement with advancing ultrasound technology. Student perception related to the use of ultrasound outside of formal curricular time was evaluated on a five point Likert scale. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were used to interpret the data obtained from this study. A total of three surveys were sent to medical students over a period of twelve months with an average response rate of 58.9%. Students indicated that (1) ultrasound devices at personal disposal during the anatomy course improved understanding of anatomical structures imaged (mean 3.9, SD=+/− 1.01), (2) the handheld ultrasound device was easy to use (mean 3.9, SD = +/− 0.8), and (3) it would be beneficial if ultrasound was implemented as part of the longitudinal learning experience in medical school (mean 4.1, SD = +/− 0.7). Students were not convinced that (1) having a personal ultrasound device influenced future choice of medical specialty (mean 2.8, SD = +/− 1.0) and (2) the opportunity augmented coursework in the past three months of medical school at time of taking the survey (mean 2.7, SD =+/− 1.25). Results of the study indicated that access to personal handheld devices motivated students to use ultrasound devices and that they did so with increasing frequency outside of class time. In addition, students were able to apply and reinforce anatomical concepts by using landmarks to first locate and orientate the anatomic field and then interpret images of underlying structures. The fact that students did not see the value of ultrasound in determining future career choices or relate their learning of ultrasound to subsequent courses should not deter prospective opportunity for use of ultrasound in clinical practice. Basic ultrasound proficiency and an ability to effectively interpret scans are skills that in the long term will significantly decrease the learning curve in the use of technology as a diagnostic tool in future clinical settings.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Clinical empathy in medical students in India measured using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Student Version.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to assess the clinical empathy of a cohort of medical students spanning 4 years of undergraduate study and to identify factors associated with empathy.MethodsA cross-sectional study to assess the empathy of undergraduate medical students at the University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital in Delhi, India, was conducted using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy–Student Version. Demographic data were obtained using a pre-tested, semi-open-ended questionnaire.ResultsOf the 600 students, 418 participated in the survey (69.7%). The mean empathy score was 96.01 (of a maximum of 140), with a standard deviation of 14.56. The empathy scores decreased from the first to the third semester, plateaued at the fifth semester, and rose again in the seventh semester. Empathy was found to be significantly associated with the gender of the participant, with females having higher scores (P<0.001). The age of the participant, place of residence, whose decision it was for the student to enroll in an MBBS (bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery) program, and the choice of future specialty were not significantly associated with students’ empathy scores.ConclusionThe study found significant gender differences in empathy among the participants. The empathy scores tended to decline initially and then rebound over time. The mean empathy levels found in this study are lower than those reported in most similar studies around the world; therefore, further studies are needed to analyze and address the underlying factors associated with this discrepancy.

АНАЛИЗ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНЫХ ОЖИДАНИЙ УЧАЩЕЙСЯ ТВОРЧЕСКОЙ МОЛОДЕЖИ

Цель. Статья посвящена анализу профессиональных ожиданий студентов очной формы обучения (№104), которые обучаются по следующим направлениям: хореография, музыкальное искусство, художественное и театральное искусство. Исследование проведено в марте-мае 2017 года в городе Якутске. Творческую молодежь как социально-демографическая, профессиональная группу отличает повышенный уровень мотивации к творческой деятельности, потребность самореализации в искусстве.Профессиональные ожидания относятся к структуре жизненных целей и планов личности, их определяют как совокупность представлений индивида о своем профессиональном будущем, опосредованное личностными, микро- и макросоциальными социально-психологическими факторами. Рассматриваются роль творчества для студентов, факторы выбора будущей специальности, удовлетворенность процессом обучения и жизненные перспективы.Метод: первичные социологическая информация была получены в результате проведенного структурированного анкетного опроса.Результаты. Молодые респонденты идентифицируют свою будущую профессию как способ выразить себя, свои мысли и чувства. Респонденты отмечают, что творческие способности в среднем у каждого начали проявляться в детстве в возрасте от 6–13 лет.Выявлено, что главными мотивами в выборе специальности и учебного заведения явились реализация своих способностей и талантов, удовлетворение собственных интересов и получение знаний. После окончания учебного заведения 73,0% студентов планируют продолжить работать по своей специальности в сфере культуры и искусства.Определено, что для опрошенных молодых якутян жизненными ценностями являются возможность реализовать свой талант, успешная профессиональная деятельность и семейное счастье. Установлено, что у большинства респондентов позитивные профессиональные ожидания по отношению к получаемой специальности, они надеются самореализоваться в своей будущей творческой профессии. Творческая молодежь Якутии видит свою профессию необходимой для общества, престижной, важной и перспективной, которая реализует их «Я» и раскроет таланты, способности творческой деятельности.Область применения результатов. Результаты исследования могут быть применены в области развития методологии и методики социологических исследований проблем молодежи, в практике реализации образовательной и молодежной политики, направленной на формирование и сохранение человеческого капитала региона.

Migration intentions among Portuguese junior doctors: Results from a survey

Migration of health personnel during periods of economic crisis represents a challenge for policymakers in origin and destination countries. Portugal is going through a period of economic hardship and much has been speculated about an increase in junior doctors’ migration during this period. Using a questionnaire administered to a sample of Portuguese junior doctors who were still in the general residency (1st-year after medical school), we aim at determining the prevalence of migration intentions among Portuguese junior doctors and to identify the most important drivers of career choice for those who are considering emigrating in the near future. In our sample, 55% of Portuguese junior doctors are considering working abroad in the coming 10 years. Several variables were associated with an intention to work abroad: female sex (odds ratio [OR] 0.559; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.488–0.640), the National Medical Exam score (OR 0.978; 95% CI 0.961–0.996;), having studied abroad (OR 1.756; 95% CI 1.086–2.867) and considering income and research opportunities as key factors for future specialty choice (OR 1.356; 95% CI 1.132–1.626; OR 2.626; 95% CI 1.228–4.172).Our study warns of the shortages the country may face due to doctors’ migration and the main factors behind migration intentions in Portugal. Developing physician retention strategies is a priority to appropriately address these factors.

A Difficult Patient Encounter: Using a Standardized Patient Scenario to Teach Medical Students to Treat Medication-Seeking Patients.

Substance dependence and the misuse of prescription narcotic medications have recently been a topic of increased national attention. Since this is both a difficult and increasingly important area for medical student training, we created an addition to our psychiatry clerkship curriculum to address this need using a standardized patient scenario. Standardized patient scenarios are a useful instructional and assessment tool for providing medical students with exposure to specific clinical scenarios that could not be consistently and reliably encountered in clinical rotations. We present a standardized patient scenario designed to challenge psychiatry clerkship students with recognizing and managing substance use disorders in patients with a difficult interaction style and medication-seeking behavior. Our scenario is unique in its expectations of students to appropriately manage a difficult clinical interaction in which collaborative treatment planning and advanced communication skills are critical to treatment success. In a narrative analysis of student postencounter reflections on this experience, most students who provided feedback indicated that the encounter was valuable to their psychiatry clerkship education. The inclusion of this learning opportunity in our clerkship has added value by assessing students' interpersonal communication skills and clinical ability to evaluate and manage substance use disorders, as well as by instructing students to manage a common and difficult clinical scenario regardless of their future specialty choice.

Choosing general practice as a career

Between 1999 and 2015 Oxford University researchers surveyed 9161 doctors, asking about their future specialty choices three years after they had graduated from medical school1

DEMANDED SPECIALTIES B 2017

Relevance of this research is caused by the fact that the problem of the choice of future specialty is particularly acute for entrants. In article advantages of new specialties which will be urgent in labor market in the next decades are described. The characteristic of such profession as the Expert in IT sphere is given.

Specialty preferences and motivating factors: A national survey on medical students from five uae medical schools.

Workforce planning is critical for being able to deliver appropriate health service and thus is relevant to medical education. It is, therefore, important to understand medical students' future specialty choices and the factors that influence them. This study was conducted to identify, explore, and analyze the factors influencing specialty preferences among medical students of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A multiyear, multicenter survey of medical student career choice was conducted with all five UAE medical schools. The questionnaire consisted of five sections. Chi-squared tests, regression analysis, and stepwise logistic regression were performed. The overall response rate was 46% (956/2079). Factors that students reported to be extremely important when considering their future career preferences were intellectual satisfaction (87%), work-life balance (71%), having the required talent (70%), and having a stable and secure future (69%). The majority of students (60%) preferred internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, or family Medicine. The most common reason given for choosing a particular specialty was personal interest (21%), followed by flexibility of working hours (17%). The data show that a variety of factors inspires medical students in the UAE in their choice of a future medical specialty. These factors can be used by health policymakers, university mentors, and directors of residency training programs to motivate students to choose specialties that are scarce in the UAE and therefore better serve the health-care system and the national community.

Factors influencing junior doctors' choices of future specialty: trends over time and demographics based on results from UK national surveys.

To study trends in factors influencing junior doctors' choice of future specialty. Respondents were asked whether each of 15 factors had a great deal of influence on their career choice, a little influence or no influence on it. Percentages are reported of those who specified that a factor had a great deal of influence on their career choice. UK. A total of 15,765 UK-trained doctors who graduated between 1999 and 2012. Questions about career choices and factors which may have influenced those choices, in particular comparing doctors who qualified in 2008-2012 with those who qualified in 1999-2002. Enthusiasm for and commitment to the specialty was a greater influence on career choice in the 2008-2012 qualifiers (81%) than those of 1999-2002 (64%), as was consideration of their domestic circumstances (43% compared with 20%). Prospects for promotion were less important to recent cohorts (16%) than older cohorts (21%), as were financial prospects (respectively, 10% and 14%). Domestic circumstances and working hours were considered more important, and financial prospects less important, by women than men. Inclination before medical school was rated as important by 41% of doctors who were over 30 years old, compared with 13% of doctors who were under 21, at the time of starting medical school. The increasing importance of both domestic circumstances and enthusiasm for their specialty choice in recent cohorts suggest that today's young doctors prize both work-life balance and personal fulfilment at work more highly than did their predecessors. The differences in motivations of older and younger generations of doctors, men and women, and doctors who start medical school relatively late are worthy of note.

Factors influencing Saudi medical students and interns' choice of future specialty: a self-administered questionnaire.

BackgroundThis study explores the most influential factors affecting Saudi medical students and interns’ choice of specialty at the University of Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.MethodsA self-administered questionnaire was distributed during the period from June 1 to June 14, 2013. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used to test the association between participants’ choices and the motivational factors that led to their choice of specialty.ResultsOne-hundred sixty-eight (44.7%) participants chose lifestyle as their most influential factor for the choice of their specialty. Significantly more medical interns considered lifestyle as an important factor compared to medical students (P=0.020). Internal medicine was the preferred specialty for 56 participants (14.77%) followed by family medicine for 35 participants (9.2%). Thirty-four participants (8.97%) chose general surgery, and 27 participants (7.1%) chose both pediatrics and emergency medicine. Sex influences indicated that men preferred pediatrics and emergency medicine (P=0.033 and P=0.0006, respectively), while women preferred family medicine practice (P=0.034).ConclusionSaudi medical students and interns at the University of Dammam were influenced mostly by lifestyle when they considered their future specialty. Internal medicine, family medicine, general surgery, pediatrics, and emergency medicine were the preferred specialties.

Factors Affecting Choice of Future Specialty among Medical Students.

Dear Editor, We read with interest the article by Kumar et al., where the authors have evaluated the future career interests and factors that influence undergraduate medical students’ choice of specialty.[1] A medical specialization encompasses transition from an undifferentiated medical graduate to the fully differentiated professional who is usually restricted to one specialized field of medical work. The medical specialty chosen by the medical student has important implications for both the practitioner as well as the national community. It is critical in determining the future supply of doctors in different specialties and the planning of the workforce for the healthcare services. In the present study, some interesting trends can be seen. Although the male students were interested in only internal medicine or surgery, the females preferred obstetrics and gynecology the most. The most alarming finding being that none of the students in China, Sri Lanka, India, and Nepal preferred pediatrics. Also while the questionnaire used in the study had an option for public health and social medicine, apparently none of the students opted for them. This problem has been highlighted time and again and underlines the issues in achieving health equity and limits the access of people living in rural and underserved areas to trained health manpower. Although nearly one half of world population resides in rural areas, they are served by less than a quarter of available physician workforce. The World Health Organization (WHO) has suggested principles and evidence-based recommendations to improve rural retention of doctors.[2] The educational recommendations include the use of favorable admission policies for students with rural background, location of medical schools and campuses outside of major cities, exposing undergraduates to rural community postings, inclusion of rural health topics in undergraduate and postgraduate curricula, and planning of continuing medical education and professional development programs that address the needs of rural health workers. The current bias of study sample in favor of urban students is one of the possible reasons for none of the students opting for public health as specialty of choice. The study also involves only specific medical schools in these five countries and may not be generalized to South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations as a whole. However, the study highlights the need for these developing countries to reassess their existing policies and introduce and/or reinforce the suggested reforms to ensure a stronger workforce in the rural areas. Also the basic medical sciences were neglected as a choice of specialization by all students across the five study settings. We also feel that students in first year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program have limited exposure to the clinics and thus their career choices are likely to be influenced at later stages of their education by various factors like perceived academic and career opportunities, societal/family expectations, effects of role models among supervisors, faculty and residents, work-related hazards, opportunities to perform procedures and urgent interventions, prospects of working in an urban setting, difficulty level of training, number of practice work hours per week, opportunities to work independently in the specialty, type of problems and patients encountered, and likely patient outcomes.-[3,4,5] In addition, a previous study has shown that students in their clinical phase of study are more likely to decide a future medical specialization than students in their basic sciences phase of medical education.[3] The range of career options available to a medical graduate has become even broader as a result of the emergence of several new subspecialties within the traditional specialties. The fact that none of the students opted for prestige, respect, and status is discordant with previously reported studies.[3,5,6] There are individual differences in the medical curriculum among these countries that might have affected the study results, e.g. the first year MBBS students in India have little exposure to paraclinical subjects like pathology, microbiology, and pharmacology. This might be one of the reasons for their lack of awareness and inclination toward these basic medical sciences. Possible ways of enabling undergraduate medical students to make informed choices regarding postgraduate specialities need to be explored. Efforts should also be made to enhance the attractiveness of medical specialities facing considerable manpower shortages to address the current and future healthcare needs of the nation. The medical schools in developing countries can introduce medical laboratory internships and modules based on research and laboratory medicine that can help to inculcate student's interest in research and basic medical sciences. Another intervention includes introduction of mentoring programs and formal career counseling. Such mentoring programs during undergraduate training can positively influence student's interest in careers in public health and basic medical specialities.

Trends in junior doctors’ certainty about their career choice of eventual clinical specialty: UK surveys

IntroductionThe paper explores whether UK qualified junior doctors’ certainty about their choice of eventual clinical specialty has changed in recent years following structural changes to postgraduate training.Materials and methodsWe analysed...