Specialty Preferences Research Articles

Study motivations, specialty preferences, and empathy of dental students in a Nigerian university.

Introductiondental training aims to produce committed dentists who are professional and empathetic in providing patient-centered oral healthcare and improved quality of life. This study aimed to assess the motives of dental students to study dentistry, their specialty preferences, and their empathy scores by motives and specialty preference.Methodsthis cross-sectional study utilized a self-administered questionnaire designed to assess the empathy measured by the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professions Student version, motives to study dentistry, dental specialty preferences among students of a dental school in Nigeria. Differences in mean empathy across gender, motives to study dentistry, and specialty preferences were analysed with t-test and ANOVA. P-values of <0.05 were considered significant.Resultsa total of 211 students participated fully in the study with a mean age of 21.19 years ± 2.43 and 140 (66.4%) females. Personal interest (27.0%) and failure of admission to other undergraduate programmes (20.9%) were the top two motives for studying dentistry. Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) was the most preferred specialty (44.1%) and community dentistry and periodontology were the least preferred (2.8%) respectively. The total mean empathy score was 104.06 ± 19.1. The highest empathy score for motivation was for high income from dentistry (112.33 ± 13.34). The participants who preferred paediatric dentistry had the highest empathy score (108.73 ± 13.68).Conclusionknowledge of the empathy levels, the motivation for studying dentistry, and preferences for particular specialties may encourage trainers to ensure the development of a positive attitude among dental students that is professional and empathetic.

Specialty preferences and factors affecting the choices of postgraduate specialty among undergraduate medical students.

Objectives:To study specialties preference of the students at the College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia; and to determine the factors that affect the choice of their postgraduate specialty.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among 138 undergraduate medical students at the College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia for the current academic year 2021-2022. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24, and a Chi-square test was utilized to compare qualitative data.Results:Internal medicine is the first choice for 16 (19.8%) students. General surgery and family medicine were selected by 15 (18.5%) and 12 (14.8%) students, respectively. Sixty-seven (82.7%) students relied on their selection of a good future guaranteed by specialty, and 48 (49.3%) selected challenging specialty; 64 (79.0%) were motivated by a practicing doctor for their future specialty selection and 54 (66.7%) by their families.Conclusions:Most preferred specialty for medical students is internal medicine followed by general surgery. Both genders preferred internal medicine as their future specialty. Some important specialties such as public health and basic medical sciences were not selected as a future specialty by any student. The most stated reason behind specialty selection is the provision for a good future. Most students are motivated by a practicing doctor to select a postgraduate specialty.

Doctors educated in Bodø - who are they and where do they work?

Every year since 2009, up to 24 medical students at UiT The Arctic University of Norway have undertaken the last two years of their undergraduate medical education in Bodø (referred to as the Bodø model). We mapped the municipalities where the students had grown up, their preferences as to future specialties, where they worked and what they worked with after Part 1 of their specialist training. Medical students who graduated from the Bodø model in the period 2012-18 completed a questionnaire in the first week of their sixth year of study, containing questions about where they had grown up and their preferences for future place of work and specialty. We mapped their place of work and specialty as of January 2021 as well as that of the two cohorts graduating in 2010-11. The place where the latter had grown up was mapped via direct contact, contact with their cohort or open internet sources. The covariation between where they grew up and their place of work, specialty preferences and choice of specialty were analysed using chi-square tests and logistic regression. Out of a total of 146 doctors, 91 of whom were women (62.3%), who had completed their undergraduate medical education under the Bodø model as well as Part 1 of their specialist training, 40 (27.4%) had grown up in Bodø municipality and for 56 (38.4%) this was their place of work. For the remainder of the county of Nordland, the corresponding figures were 54 (37.0%) and 38 (26.0%), for Troms og Finnmark 23 (15.8) and 19 (13%) and for the remainder of Norway 29 (19.9%) and 33 (22.6%). A total of 51 (34.9%) worked as GPs, of whom 34 (66.7%) worked in rural municipalities. There was a higher probability of working in a rural area if the doctor had grown up in a rural community (odds ratio (OR) 3.0 (95% CI 1.5 to 6.1)) and of working in general medicine if this had been their preference as a student (OR 3.7 (95% CI 1.8 to 7.6)). The Bodø model has mainly attracted students with an affiliation to the region. At the time of the survey, a large percentage of the graduates who took part of their undergraduate medical education in Bodø worked at the Nordland Hospital in Bodø and in general practice, particularly in rural municipalities.

Factors Responsible for Final-Year Medical Students Selecting Orthopedic Specialty in Enugu State.

Background:Medical training is one of the core components of the health system of any country. The specialty preferences of medical undergraduates and young medical graduates reflect the pattern of distribution of specialists in the future work-force in the health care system. The preference of Orthopaedic surgery specialty by medical students has been poor.Objective:This study aims to explore the factors responsible for final year medical students choosing orthopedic surgery specialty in Enugu state, Southeast Nigeria.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional survey of Final year medical Students from two Universities in Enugu state in Southeastern Nigeria was conducted. The Universities were; University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). A structured questionnaire designed using the free software google forms was utilized for the study and electronically distributed randomly to 132 final year medical students in Enugu state, Southeast Nigeria using platforms including Whatsapp® and Telegram®. The data collected was analysed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).Results:At the end of the study, 132 final year medical students completed and submitted the questionnaires. Majority of the students (73%) were not interested in Orthopaedic surgery. Among those who were interested, most indicated that the interest arose spontaneously (31%, n = 11), about 11% attributed the interest to either seeing a movie that showcased the specialty or to good performance in related courses (Anatomy, Radiology, Surgery), while only 8% attributed the interest to effect of lectures in the course or to having a family member who was an orthopedic surgeon. In another 9%, an interest in orthopaedic surgery developed during their posting in the specialty.Among those who were not interested, about 66% attributed this to the specialty being physically demanding while a minority attributed it to other factors like the long duration of residency program in orthopaedic surgery, the interference by traditional bone-setters and male dominated field. A greater proportion of the female respondents (68%) were discouraged by the physical demands of the specialty compared to males (62%).No factors was found to be significantly associated statistically with the interest/lack of interest in orthopaedic surgery specialty among the reasons (Perceived Job prestige x2 = 0.762 P = 0.859, Perceived income x2=2.962 P = 0.227, Perceived work life balance x2=4.087 P = 0.252, Perceived opportunities for research x2=6.895 P = 0.075, Perceived relevance of orthopaedic specialists x2=1.777 P = 0.620). Significance value was P < 0.05.Conclusion:There is a low preference towards orthopedic surgery among final year medical students. This study attempted to highlight the factors responsible for final year medical students selecting orthopedic surgery in Enugu state, Southeast Nigeria and it revealed that clinical rotations, mentorship, work-life balance, job prestige, income and opportunities for research were all important factors.Recommendation:We recommend that more time be allotted to Orthopedics postings to increase interest in the specialty. More Orthopedic surgeons should provide proper guidance and mentorship to medical students in order to influence students choice of specialty.

Factors influencing high school students’ decision in applying to Medical School

Background: Many factors influence high school students’ future profession choices, which differ by culture and other variables such as the students’ background, social differences, and financial status, all of which culminate in a student pursuing their higher education in a single field. As a result, the factors that influenced that choice must be addressed in order to achieve better outcomes for both the educational programs and the health system. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh city among high school students. Sociodemographic characteristics, preferred study specialties, GPA, and performances were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: The age of the students was between 16-19 years old. Most selected specialties were medicine, followed by engineering, information technology and Nursing, however, Pharmacy was in the least selected specialty. Findings showed that the top perceived barrier was the high aptitude score required for entry into medicine (23.3%); another group of the students (23.1%) indicated that the English Language competency test/skills were the second obstacle. Offering health care and motivation were the most important factor for the majority of students. The majority had remarkably agreed or strongly agreed to the humanitarian context about studying medicine (90.4%). Conclusion: A higher percentage of high school students choose to attend medical school, with the primary obstacles to admission being the high aptitude score required for admission, followed by English language competency examinations. Finally, there is a considerable disparity between genders when it comes to medical school preferences and reasons. Keywords: Medicine, medical student, Saudi Arabia, healthcare, medical schools

The relationship between empathy and personality traits in Saudi medical students.

BACKGROUND:Empathy is regarded as a fundamental personal attribute for in-training and in-practice doctors. Several factors may play a significant role to facilitate or prevent the ability of doctors' empathy toward their patients. The objective of the present study is to investigate the relationship of empathy with personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience) among undergraduate medical students.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This study was based on a correlational, cross-sectional design and was conducted from January 2020 to April 2020. The sample consisted of 301 undergraduate medical students studying in different medical colleges situated in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Personal information form, the big-five personality inventory, and the interpersonal reactivity index scales were administered. Obtained data were analyzed by applying several methods such as mean, standard deviation, Mann–Whitney U test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multivariable linear regression.RESULTS:Regression analysis revealed that personality dimensions accounted for 10–19% of the variance in scores of empathy sub-dimensions of perspective-taking, empathetic concern, fantasy, and personal distress. Agreeableness was found to be associated with empathetic concern and perspective-taking. Openness to experience was found to be significantly related to perspective-taking and fantasy, whereas extraversion was negatively associated with perspective-taking. Neuroticism had an association with personal distress, empathetic concern, and fantasy. Additionally, no gender difference was observed and students with people-oriented specialty preferences showed significantly higher scores on empathy sub-domains than technology-oriented students.CONCLUSION:This study confirmed that personality dimensions play a notable role to predict empathetic behaviors among Saudi undergraduate medical students. This study would help to design individualized strategies by incorporating personality dimensions in the training program to enhance empathetic behavior among medical students.

Motivations, attitudes for choosing dental profession and preferred dental specialties amongst Turkish dental students.

The aim of the study was to investigate the influential factors for choosing dentistry, their thoughts about the profession, their expectations for the future and their thoughts about the specialisation of dental students from all grades in the School of Dentistry, Marmara University. Socio-demographic information, influential factors the choice of profession, thoughts and expectations about dentistry, and thoughts about the specialisation were evaluated in the questionnaire that included different question types in four separate sections. Chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between categorical variables, and multiple linear regression was performed to examine the combined effects of variables that influence the always dream of becoming a dentist. 462 of the 471 participants from all grades who agreed to participate in the study completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 98.1%. It was seen that the students' clinical experience made differences in almost half of their motivational sources for choosing dentistry and their views on future opinions and expectations (p<.05). In addition to clinical experience, gender also made a statistically significant differences in almost all answers in the students' opinions about specialisation (p<.05). From the results of the study, the majority of Turkish dental students were self-motivated compared to familial and environmental factors for choosing dentistry as a career. The career motivations of them seemed to be associated with the socioeconomic aspects of dentistry, whereas the perceptions regarding the future of dentistry seemed to be associated with the need for postgraduate education.

Factors Influencing Medical Students' Choice Regarding Anaesthesiology as a Future Career at King Abdulaziz University Hospital Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Aims: Our study aimed to identify whether anesthesiology is a desired specialty among medical students at King Abdulaziz University and what factors may have influenced or hindered their decision.&#x0D; Study Design: Cross‑sectional study.&#x0D; Study Setting: At King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between June 8th, 2019 till June 25th, 2019.&#x0D; Methodology: An online questionnaire was distributed to all 700 5th and 6th year medical students at King Abdulaziz University Hospital and they were asked to fill it anonymously. Pre-clinical medical students (2nd, 3rd and 4th years) were excluded due to their lack of exposure to the field of anesthesiology. The estimated sample size was a random 248 medical students of KAUH.&#x0D; Results: Our results showed that the most preferred specialties were Internal medicine (37.9%), followed by surgery (35.5%), then family medicine (27%). While the field of anesthesiology was chosen by 14.5% of the participants. However, in response to a separate question, 79.8% of the respondents have not considered it as their future career.&#x0D; Many considered Doctor-patient relationship to have the greatest influence (81.7%), followed by controllable lifestyle (80%), while income 71% and prestige 63.2% were less influential factors for those career decisions.&#x0D; Conclusion: It is essential to show medical students that anesthesiologists do interact with patients and increase their interaction with influential individuals in this field since they are capable of positively adjusting their viewpoints.

Improvement of Medical Students' Empathy Levels After an Intensive Experiential Training on Empathy Skills.

EMPATHY IN HEALTHCARE is an intensive 20-hour experiential training program based on mediation techniques and specialized healthcare role-play for clinicians and medical students. It is hypothesized that the training will improve empathy via the intensive experiential techniques implemented. A total of 50 medical students (25 males/25 females) took the course voluntarily. Empathy was measured using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Medical Students Version (JSE-S) (Greek version), before and after the 20-hour training, along with a 6-month follow-up. Gender, age, preferred medical specialty and baseline empathy score were explored as possible moderator variables of the training effect. Empathy increased after training, with a mean JSE-S score improvement of 11.25 points (±8.848) (P < .001). After 6 months, the mean JSE-S score maintained a difference of 6.514 points (±12.912) (P < .005). No differences were recorded with regard to gender, age group or medical specialty for the pooled data. Women in the 22-24 year-old age group had a 5-point mean difference (P = .05), and higher post-training scores than men. Lower initial scorers were the ones that mostly improved, with a 3-fold mean score difference from the higher scorers regardless of gender (P < .001), while also showing a smaller drop in empathy levels 6 months after the training compared to the higher scorers. Intensive experiential training can improve empathy in a clinical setting. EMPATHY IN HEALTHCARE is a successful training program in improving empathy in medical students, as measured by the JSE-S. A score of 110 and below could be used for selecting medical student candidates who will benefit most from empathy training.

The Relationship between Mental Health with the Level of Empathy Among Medical Students in Southern Thailand: A University-Based Cross- Sectional Study

Objective: To determine the level of and factors associated with empathy among medical students.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed all first- to sixth-year medical students at the Facultyof Medicines, Prince of Songkla University, at the end of the 2020 academic year. The questionnaires consisted of:1) The personal and demographic information questionnaire, 2) The Toronto Empathy Questionnaire, and 3) ThaiMental Health Indicator-15. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and factors associated with empathylevel were assessed via chi-square and logistic regression analyses.Results: There were 1010 participants with response rate of 94%. Most of them were female (59%). More than half(54.9%) reported a high level of empathy. There was a statistically significant difference in empathy levels betweenpre-clinical and clinical medical students; in regards to empathy subgroups (P-value &lt; 0.001). The assessment ofemotional states in others by demonstrating appropriate sensitivity behavior, altruism, and empathic respondingscores among the pre-clinical group were higher than those of the clinical group. Multivariate analysis indicatedthat female gender, pre-clinical training level, and minor specialty preference were factors associated with empathylevel. The protective factor that significantly improved the level of empathy was having fair to good mental health.Conclusion: More than half of the surveyed medical students reported a high level of empathy. The protective factorthat improved the level of empathy was good mental health. However, future qualitative methods, longitudinalsurveillance, or long-term follow-up designs are required to ensure the trustworthiness of these findings.

Virtual Recruitment: Experiences and Perspectives of Internal Medicine Program Directors

Virtual Recruitment: Experiences and Perspectives of Internal Medicine Program Directors

Clinical Elective Choices and Motivations for Future Career Specialty Selection of Medical School Trainees and Junior Doctors of The University of the West Indies, Jamaica

Background: Clinical electives, provide opportunities to inform future career paths. The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether the clinical electives were being used as intended i.e. to help with specialization choice and to determine the factors that influence trainee decisions for specialty training at The University of the West Indies.&#x0D; Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2019 and March 2020, using a self-administered questionnaire. &#x0D; Results: 193 participants completed the questionnaire, aged 20 to 35 years, 133 (68.9%) were females. The most common electives completed were internal medicine specialties (80, 41.5%), followed by surgical specialties (53. 27.5%). Only 64(33.2%) participants reported electives used to gain experience for future career; other reasons included filling knowledge gaps (101, 52.3%), having to repeat failed clerkships (19, 9.8%). Future career preferences were the specialties of surgery (75, 40.8%), internal medicine (41, 22.3%), anaesthetics (20,10.4%) and obstetrics &amp; gynaecology (18, 9.3%). Males showed a preference for surgical specialties (p=0.002). The use of the elective for determining career path showed significant correlation with future specialty choice (Likelihood ratio chi-square test (32) = 98.37, p&lt;0.001). Career motivation factors correlating significantly with future specialty choices were intellectual challenge (p=0.025), income (p=0.010), prestige(p=0.015) and working hours(p=0.012).&#x0D; Conclusions: There was use of clinical elective rotations as intended by senior medical students and junior doctors. Surgical specialties were the top selections especially for males. Career counseling was needed to guide beneficial use of the clinical electives and to encourage the alignment of specialty choice with trainee motivations.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Autistic Traits, STEM, and Medicine: Autism Spectrum Quotient Scores Predict Medical Students’ Career Specialty Preferences

There is a higher than chance representation of autistic people and people with elevated autistic traits in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industries. Medical students, despite studying a STEM subject, have lower autistic traits than other STEM students. Medicine is heterogenous, covering technique-oriented specialties (e.g., surgery) with little patient interaction, person-oriented specialties (e.g., pediatrics), and general practice. We present an online survey in which 502 UK university students (medicine, n = 344; STEM, n = 94; non-STEM, n = 64) reported their study area and career aspirations and completed the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a quantitative self-report measure of autistic traits. Our main findings were that medical students had significantly lower AQ scores than other STEM ( p &lt; .001, d = 0.614) and non-STEM students ( p &lt; .001, d = 0.874), and that medical students aiming to pursue technique-focused career paths had significantly higher AQ scores than medical students aiming to pursue person-oriented career paths ( p = .009, d = 0.318). Each of these effects remained statistically significant after adjusting for alpha inflation. The findings of this study corroborate those of previous research reporting a link between autism and STEM; they also provide evidence that autistic traits are a predictor of medical students’ career ambitions, with those students with high AQ scores being more likely to pursue technique-focused (as opposed to person-focused) roles. This may be informative for developing and optimizing the strengths of individuals with differing levels of autistic traits.

Contemporary Aspects of Training in Vocational Secondary Schools and Students’ Health

Introduction: Current vocational secondary education (VSE) in Russia is characterized by a focus on practical training (as part of dual training) aimed at improving professional competencies of graduates. It also demonstrates negative trends in adolescent health, which requires optimization and development of specific algorithms of medical support for students aged 14–22 years and older appropriate to their academic and practical workload. Objective: To assess adaptation of college students to learning conditions, depending on their health status, and to substantiate ways of improving their health care. Material and methods: We retrieved and analyzed information from the database of multicenter studies conducted within the unified program of the National Medical Research Center for Children’s Health of the Russian Ministry of Health. Our sample included 197 first- and second-year college boys from the cities of Omsk and Moscow studying to become welders and auto mechanics. The quality of life, health and well-being indicators were evaluated according to the International Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short-form (MOS SF-36). The students were divided into subgroups based on their health status. The statistical processing complied with modern requirements and criteria of evidence-based medicine. Results: We established that vocational schools admitted a significant number of applicants with the above specialty preferences suffering from chronic diseases (21.1–26 %). Results of the questionnaire-based survey of future welders and car mechanics revealed difficulties in adaptation to the educational process of the students with chronic disorders expressed by lower quality of life indicators, frequent health complaints and feelings of fatigue, especially in second-year students who experience an increasing academic and practical workload. Conclusions: Students with chronic diseases mastering professions with hazardous working conditions represent population at risk, require health monitoring, determination of professional suitability, and control over the working conditions in industrial practice. The importance of protecting health of future professionals is determined by implementation of practice-based training in 42 % of vocational schools. Models of school medicine proposed to optimize health care in comprehensive schools can be adapted to conditions of secondary vocational facilities. Foreign studies have proved feasibility of an early onset of work-related diseases in certain occupations, even before completion of training, thus necessitating vocational guidance, professional medical advice, and development of an effective system of medical support for adolescents and students.

Association between dispositional empathy and self-other distinction in Irish and Belgian medical students: a cross-sectional analysis

ObjectivePhysicians’ cognitive empathy is associated with improved diagnosis and better patient outcomes. The relationship between self-reported and performance-based measures of cognitive empathic processes is unclear.DesignCross-sectional analysis of the association between...

ANAESTHESIOLOGY AS A FUTURE SPECIALTY

Objective: To ascertain the various aspects directing the undergraduates at Quetta Institute of medical sciences towards anesthesiology as future profession/specialization.&#x0D; Study Design: Cross sectional study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Quetta Institute of Medical Sciences, Quetta Pakistan, from Mar to Apr 2019.&#x0D; Methodology: Study was conducted among final year medical students with the help of a printed questionnaire consisting of 15 Multiple Choice Questions. The questionnaire provided the required database to explore various factors that influence undergraduates to select their future specialization based on demography and specialty preferences.&#x0D; Results: A total of 65 undergraduates completed the response sheet. While 45 (68.8%) participants were females and 20 (31.2%) were males, 62 (95.4%) were single (unmarried or divorced) and had no children 63 (96.9%). Medicine proved to be the most favourate specialty with 20 (31.4%) student opting for it whereas anesthesiology was chosen by 4 (6.1%) students.&#x0D; Conclusion: Anesthesiology still remains a less popular choice among the medical students of Pakistan particularly Quetta Institute of Medical Sciences due to multifaceted factors. Inferior prestige of the specialty was the most significant factor in deciding against anaesthesiology.

Post-graduate specialty choice among interns of a private dental school in Jeddah

Evidence indicates that the majority of dental students report continuing their education further towards a post-graduate specialty degree. The choice of a career is a critical decision that has an obvious impact on a future life pattern. Based on the various factors that influence the decision of the students in choosing the post-graduate specialty student career counseling may be provided at the university level. This study was done to evaluate the specialty preference and their influencing factors among the interns in a private dental school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The study is a cross-sectional survey conducted using a self-administered questionnaire among final year dental students batch 2020-2021. The response rate for the study was 85% which is 87 out of 102 interns from the batch 2020-21. The subjects of choice to pursue post-graduation among the respondents was Endodontics, Prosthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Oral maxillofacial surgery, Periodontics, Orthodontics, Restorative and esthetic dentistry, Advanced General Dentistry, Forensic Dentistry, and Oral Pathology. It is revealed that Oral Surgery followed by Orthodontics may be the leading choice of dental specialization among students and the preferred choice may be Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry. Our study and literature review suggest that there are few post-graduate specialties that are more preferred in comparison to some that are not. It is warranted that the students should be oriented about all the specializations in dentistry which will help in a targeted approach towards meeting the demand of supplying specialists from all the fields in Dentistry.

Specialty Choice among Final-Year Medical Students at Taif University

Introduction: In Saudi Arabia (SA), the most important issue for senior students during their modules and hospital training is choosing a medical specialty. Because many factors influence this process, the primary goal of this study was to determine participants’ preferred specialty, location, and other influencing factors. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 6th-year students from the medical schools in Taif city, SA, conducted from November 2020 to June 2021. Baseline characteristics, specialties of interest, place, and psychological aspects of their interests were all evaluated via a self-reported questionnaire. Results: One hundred forty of 200 surveyed students responded (70% response rate). About 44.3% were females, and 55.7% were male, with a mean grade point average of 3.5/4.0 and were all from Taif University. Nearly 86.4% were interested in SA’s local training programs, and the most preferred hospital for residency program was the Ministry of Health (37.1%), while the most preferred region inside SA was the western region (61.4%). The preferred medical specialties were family medicine followed by ENT, yet 2% were undecided about their future specialty. The most common factor that influenced the students to choose the location for training was quality of training (41.4%), followed by the cooperation of the hospital staff with new trainees (30%). Conclusion: The majority of medical interns preferred to complete their residency or postgraduate studies in SA, according to the findings of the study. Family medicine and ENT were the most common specialties, regardless of gender. Students’ career decisions are influenced by several factors. Future research that can help create a more accurate career-counseling model and improve successful career-counseling strategies will need to address these factors.

The Impact of Previous Cardiology Electives on Canadian Medical Student Interest and Understanding of Cardiology

Background: Most Canadian medical schools do not have mandatory cardiology rotations. Early exposure to clinical cardiology aids career navigation, but clerkship selectives are chosen during pre-clerkship. This study investigates whether prior elective experiences affect medical student interest as well as understanding of cardiology before clerkship selections.&#x0D; Methods: A literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, Embase and PubMed to create an evidence-based cross-sectional survey. The anonymous questionnaire was administered to 53 second-year medical students at a Canadian medical school via Opinio, an online survey platform. Students were assessed on their interest and understanding of cardiology practice using a 5-point Likert Scale. Descriptive statistics and Chi-Square analysis were applied to assess the relationship between previous elective experience, medical student interest, and understanding of career-related factors pertaining to cardiology.&#x0D; Results: Overall, 26 (49.1%) students reported cardiology interest, while it was a preferred specialty for 9 (17.0%). Medical students reported low understanding of community practice (n=20, 37.7%), duration of patient relationships (n=14, 26.4%), spectrum of disorders (n=13, 24.5%), and in-patient care (n=11, 20.8%) associated with cardiology practice. Students with prior cardiology electives had increased understanding of in-patient care (χ2 = 4.688, Cramer’s V = 0.297, p = 0.030 and were more likely to select cardiology as a top specialty choice (χ2 = 7.983, Cramer’s V = 0.388, p = 0.005).&#x0D; Conclusions: Pre-clerkship medical students have a low understanding of cardiology practice. Increasing pre-clerkship exposure to cardiology may help students determine their interest in the specialty before clerkship selectives are chosen.

Preference of and factors that influence future specialty among medical students in Jordan: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundChoosing future specialty is an important issue that face undergraduate medical students during their university years. Several factors may assist to formulate students' final decision. We aimed to explore the future specialty preferences and the factors that influence the choice of undergraduate students in medical schools in Jordan. MethodsA cross sectional study conducted among the sixth year students of two medical schools in Jordan. A questionnaire was used to collect data from the students. It consisted of demographic data in form of gender, GPA, family income, and parents’ level of education. In addition to data about preferred specialties, and factors that influence medical students' choice of future specialty. ResultsA total of 223 medical students from two medical schools were recruited to participate. Males were 49.3% while females were 50.7%, and around 22% scored an excellent GPA. Most parents of the students were bachelor degree holders (63.6% for fathers and 62.3% for mothers). Medicine (19.4%), dermatology (12.6%), and obstetrics and gynecology (11.7%) were the most chosen future specialties. Specialty appeal and thoughts of future creativity was the most chosen factor that influenced future specialty (55.2%) choice, followed by family time and less on-call duties (14.8%). Students who selected chances of fellowships as an influencing factor were more likely to prefer medicine as future specialties (p < 0.001). ConclusionMedicine, dermatology, and obstetrics and gynecology were the most popular future specialty choices among undergraduate medical students. Most of our medical students claimed that selection of their specialty is based on the interest and potential creativity, family time and less on call duties. Further studies are required in a wide range to accommodate more students from the other academic years.