Specialty Preferences Research Articles

Speciality preferences and influencing factors among medical students at a South-Western Nigerian University

Speciality preferences and influencing factors among medical students at a South-Western Nigerian University

Specialty choices among new generation of doctors - insights from a Polish survey study.

The choice of medical specialty for future doctors is a multidimensional issue, associated with many factors. This study aimed to explore the factors influencing the specialty choices of doctors entering the Polish healthcare system. A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted from May until August 2023. The data was gathered via an online nationwide survey among recent medical school graduates. We explored respondents' preferences regarding medical specialties (in two categories: surgical and non-surgical), and the factors that drive their choices. The U-Mann Whitney test was used to compare the distribution of 19 analysed factors, and the chi-squared test was used if a trend was not observed. 737 responses were collected, and 698 were included in the study. The respondents (60.5% female) preferred non-surgical specialties over surgical ones. The main factors influencing doctors' choices were remuneration, the ability to maintain work-life balance, interest in the medical field, the ability to start a private practice, skills possessed, and doctor-patient interactions. Doctors pursuing a career in surgical fields are driven by slightly different factors than those who chose a non-surgical specialty. The youngest generation values a healthy work-life balance, and their non-professional life remains crucial.

Barriers to Research Publication for Undergraduate Medical Students in Makkah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Scientific research is an approach to acquiring information to enhance thequality of the world. The aim of thisstudywasto identify the obstacles among undergraduate medical students to publish their study papers. Materials and methods Thiswasa web-based descriptive cross-sectional study that usedan online survey to collect data frommedical students ofUmm Al-QuraUniversity in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The minimum sample size required for the study calculated bytheRaosoft websitewas323. Statistical analysis was conducted with IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25 (Released 2017; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Results A total of 337 medical students were included in the study. The frequencies of male and female students were relatively comparable, with a marginally greater proportion of male students (177, 52.5%).The majority of students (294, 87.2%) had participated in at least one research project. Notably, 159 (47.2%) students had engaged in more than three research projects, whereas 42 (12.4%) had experience with only one previous research project.A notable peak in publication rate was observed for the year 2023, indicating the highest rate within the study period.The most frequently encountered obstacle in research publication was poor academic teaching, as reported by 133 (39.5%) students, followed by lack of active research groups (130, 38.6%), lack of time (122, 36.2%), and lack of supervisors in their preferred specialty (91, 27%).Associations were found between students' participation in research projects and various demographic characteristics. Among medical students who had previously participated in a research group, 174 (51.7%) were female, and 163 (48.3%) were male (p=0.001). In terms of academic year, most students who participated in a research project were in their sixthyear (143, 42.5%), followed by medical interns (81, 24.1%) and fourth-year medical students (54, 16%), with these differences being statistically significant (p=0.001). Finally, the medical students' grade point average showed no statistically significant association with participation in a research project. Conclusion To boost publication rates and research experience of graduating medical students, it is important to articulate the barriers that prevent them from publishing their research. Educators and supervisors of medical research should strongly consider developing a framework that addresses current and future obstacles.

Impacts of clinical psychiatric posting experience on specialization intention and associated factors among Nursing Science students

BackgroundGlobally, there is increasingly high prevalence of mental disorders across all age groups and social classes with more being projected by 2030, but without commensurate resources for mental health care delivery especially in developing countries.PurposeThis study examined the impacts of clinical psychiatric posting on career choice in psychiatry among nursing students in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.MethodsA prospective cohort research design was used and data were collected using attitude towards psychiatry (ATP), mental illness clinician attitude scale (MICA-4) and researcher developed questionnaires on career choice in pre and post clinical posting approach. This study was conducted between November, 2023 to May 2024. A sample size of 400 students (with data collected before posting and after posting) were involved in the study. Data were coded, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS version 26. McNemar Test was used to determine effects of clinical posting on career choices in psychiatry. Simple and multiple logistic regressions were used to analyze data on determinants of career choices in psychiatry. The hypotheses (Null and alternative hypotheses) were tested at p-value < 0.05.ResultsPsychiatric and mental health nursing was one of the least preferred specialty, 21(6%) respondents showed interest before clinical posting and 25(7.1%) after the posting. Commonly preferred specialty was pediatric nursing (20.5%), community health nursing (17.1%) and midwifery (17.7%). McNemer test showed no statistically significant differences in choice of psychiatry before and after clinical posting. Key determinants of career choices were interest in psychiatry (AOR = 16.06(95% CI = 1.10, 14.96) P = 0.009), interest in community services (AOR = 4.01(95% CI = 1.32, 12.20)P = 0.014), family influence(AOR = 13.76(95% CI = 1.74, 108.57)p = 0.013) and job satisfaction(AOR = 0.10(95% CI = 0.03, 0.26)P < 0.001).ConclusionThe researcher therefore concluded that clinical psychiatric posting has no significant impacts on career choices in psychiatry among nursing students in Nigeria. Interest of the students, family influence and job satisfaction were significantly associated with career choices among the respondents.

Factors Influencing Medical Students' Decision in Choosing a Surgical Specialty.

The decision to pursue a career in surgery among medical students is influenced by various factors, including personal preferences, perceptions of the specialty, and educational experiences. Understanding these factors is crucial for addressing challenges and fostering interest in surgical specialties. This study analyzed data from 889 medical students to explore demographic characteristics and factors influencing their decisionregarding pursuing a surgical career. Participants completed surveys regarding their gender, academic year, GPA, and intentions regarding surgical careers. Factors influencing career were assessed using closed-ended questions, with both deterrents and motivators considered. The study found a higher proportion of female participants (63.1%) compared to male participants (36.9%). Factors influencing participants' decisionnot to pursue a surgical career included a preference for other specialties (61.8%), a dislike for the lifestyle of surgeons (51.3%), and perceptions of long training durations (33.7%). Conversely, interest in the specialty (71.0%) and a preference for hands-on work (55.6%) were significant motivators for pursuing a surgical career. Additional factors such as concerns about the competitive environment, dislike for hands-on work, and perceptions regarding salary and work environment also emerged as notable considerations. The findings highlight the importance of addressing misconceptions, providing mentorship, and promoting diversity within surgical specialties to encourage interest and diversify the surgical workforce. The study found a high interest in surgical specialty among Saudi medical students; however, some barriers were identified, particularly work-home relations, gender disparity, and pressure put on surgeries.

Declining empathy trends throughout medical curriculum and association factors of low empathy among medical students and residents: a single center study

BackgroundA physician’s empathy level substantially impacts clinical competence, patient relationships, and treatment outcomes. Yet, understanding empathy trends from medical students to resident doctors within a single institution is limited. This study delves into empathy trends within a single-center academic setting and identifies factors associated with low empathy.MethodsThis cross-sectional study enrolled the second—to sixth-year medical students of Phramongkutklao College of Medicine and the first—to second-year residents at Phramongkutklao Hospital. It utilized a standardized questionnaire covering demographics, family relationships, the Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI), and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE). The relationship between variables and JSE scores was analyzed using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Chi-square tests. Multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses examined associated factors and trends across educational levels. A quadratic term was incorporated to evaluate the presence of a nonlinear trend.ResultsA total of 520 participants, comprising 189 (36.4%) preclinical students, 153 (29.4%) clinical students, and 178 (34.2%) residents, completed the survey. The JSE showed a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.83. The average empathy score was 103.8 ± 15.0, with 27.1% of low empathy levels. Specialty preference and sex-adjusted average empathy scores decreased from 114.5 (95%CI: 112.0–117.0) among second-year medical students to 95.2 (95%CI: 92.2–98.2) among second-year residents (Pnon−linear<0.001). The adjusted proportion of low empathy is highest among sixth-year medical students (54.4%, 95%CI: 34.4–73.2%). Factors associated with low empathy included those preferring procedure-oriented specialties (AOR: 4.16, 95%CI: 1.54–11.18) and a higher parental income (AOR: 2.97, 95%CI: 1.09 to 8.10). Subgroup analysis revealed that residents with a GPAX above 3.5 and those in technology-oriented specialties were also associated with lower empathy (AOR: 3.46, 95%CI: 1.40–8.59 and AOR: 2.93, 95%CI: 1.05–8.12, respectively).ConclusionA declining empathy trend was observed among medical students, which then plateaued among residents. Additionally, residents in technology-oriented specialties may require empathy enhancements due to their ongoing patient consultations. Addressing these issues requires collaborative planning between students and teachers to foster empathy throughout the medical curriculum.

Factors Predicting the Choice of Specialization Among Medical Students and Junior Doctors in Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Choosing a medical specialization is a crucial, career-defining decision for medical students and junior doctors. Objectives: This study aimed to identify variables impacting junior postgraduate doctors' and medical students' choice of specialty in Oman. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and the Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) in Muscat, Oman. A two-part, self-administered questionnaire was electronically distributed to 247 respondents of different positions and levels of education, including doctors enrolled in the General Foundation Program, interns, and medical students undergoing their junior and senior clinical rotations. Sociodemographic characteristics were compared to determine factors influencing the choice of medical specialization. Results: The most popular choice of specialty was pediatrics (14.6%), followed by family medicine (10.9%), psychiatry (9.3%), and general medicine (8.5%). Medical specialties were chosen more frequently than surgical or diagnostic specialties (60.7% vs. 27.5% and 10.9%, respectively), regardless of gender or current position/level. Significant variations in specialty preferences were observed based on the respondents’ level of paternal educational attainment (P = 0.026) and future desired location of residency (P &lt; 0.001). The factors identified by the participants as most important when selecting preferred specialties were working hours/lifestyle after completion of training (77.3%), positive experiences with a clinician/teacher of a particular specialty (72.5%), and income potential (70.9%). Conclusions: The findings of this study may contribute to healthcare workforce planning strategies aimed at supporting insufficiently staffed specialties, taking into account the needs of patients as well as the interests and preferences of future doctors.

Factors affecting physicians’ specialty selection: A demographic and socioeconomic perspective

Objectives: The medical field is advancing toward increasing specialization in knowledge, technology, and expertise. To meet the demands of quality health care, a practical, pragmatic, and well-balanced enrollment and distribution of physicians among specialties is crucial. The process of selecting a specialty as an ultimate future career is sensitive and conveys multidimensional implications on physicians, the health systems and society as a whole. Numerous complex and miscellaneous factors contribute to the development and adjustment of that decision that needs rigorous efforts to understand and hopefully control. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study, conducted through a comprehensive questionnaire encompassing demographic information, socioeconomic indicators, and components of the modified Kuppuswamy and MacArthur Scales. Data were collected using simple random sampling with considering design efficiency. Two-variable analysis with Pearson correlation and Chi-squared test was used to identify the associations and their significance. P &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 389 respondents completed the questionnaire: 58.87% females, 41.13% males. Among them, 67.8% were internship physicians, and 32.2% were general practitioners. The mean Kuppuswamy score was 15.17, and the mean subjective socioeconomic status (SES) score was 4.28. Female physicians presented a critical propensity toward choosing obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics as their primary future career (P ≤ 0.01), whereas male physicians were more willing to specialize in surgical specialties (P ≤ 0.01). Obstetrics, gynecology, and family medicine correlated with below-average Kuppuswamy scores (P = 0.010359), while surgical specialties correlated with higher scores (P &lt; 0.01). Physicians with above-average subjective SES scores preferred surgical specialties (P = 0.036596). Family medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, and pediatrics correlated with below-average subjective SES scores (P = 0.041828). Conclusion: Demographic and socioeconomic factors have a significant influence on physicians’ specialty preferences and selection.

Factors Affecting Specialty Training Preference Among UK Medical Students (FAST): Protocol for a National Cross-Sectional Survey.

The UK medical education system faces a complex landscape of specialty training choices and heightened competition. The Factors Affecting Specialty Training Preference Among UK Medical Students (FAST) study addresses the need to understand the factors influencing UK medical students' specialty choices, against a backdrop of increasing challenges in health care workforce planning. The primary objectives of the FAST study are to explore UK medical students' preferred specialties and the factors that influence these choices. Secondary objectives are to evaluate students' confidence in securing their chosen specialty, to understand how demographic and academic backgrounds affect their decisions, and to examine how specialty preferences and confidence levels vary across different UK medical schools. A cross-sectional survey design will be used to collect data from UK medical students. The survey, comprising 17 questions, uses Likert scales, multiple-choice formats, and free-text entry to capture nuanced insights into specialty choice factors. The methodology, adapted from the Ascertaining the Career Intentions of UK Medical Students (AIMS) study, incorporates adjustments based on literature review, clinical staff feedback, and pilot group insights. This approach ensures comprehensive and nondirective questioning. Data analysis will include descriptive statistics to establish basic patterns, ANOVA for group comparisons, logistic regression for outcome modeling, and discrete choice models for specialty preference analysis. The study was launched nationally on December 4, 2023. Data collection is anticipated to end on March 1, 2024, with data analysis beginning thereafter. The results are expected to be available later in 2024. The FAST study represents an important step in understanding the factors influencing UK medical students' career pathways. By integrating diverse student perspectives across year groups and medical schools, this study seeks to provide critical insights into the dynamics of specialty, or residency, selection. The findings are anticipated to inform both policy and educational strategies, aiming to align training opportunities with the evolving needs and aspirations of the future medical workforce. Ultimately, the insights gained may guide initiatives to balance specialty distribution, improve career guidance, and improve overall student satisfaction within the National Health Service, contributing to a more stable and effective health care system. DERR1-10.2196/55155.

The influence of individual factors on the career preferences and specialty choices of final-year nursing students

BackgroundStatistical evidence shows that nursing students prefer a professional career in hospital settings, leading to a lack of career interest in non-hospital settings such as community and residential aged care facilities. The lack of preference for non-hospital settings has persisted over several decades and presents a need for different approaches that may reveal new information to better understand the individual factors that influence specialty choices and preferences from the students' viewpoints. PurposeThe aims of this study were to (1) explore individual factors that impact the nursing specialty choices of final-year nursing students and (2) explore how these factors influence the final-year nursing students' career decision-making process. MethodA narrative inquiry approach using semi-structured interviews was carried out with purposively sampled nursing students (n = 12) who had undertaken a final-year clinical placement(s). Data was analysed using two main steps. First, the interviews were restoried and then analysed using the three-dimensional framework. Subsequently, thematic analysis was applied to generate themes. ResultsData analysis generated three main themes: demographic factors, social factors, and career goals. Participants' characteristics and interactions with other individuals and systems influenced their nursing specialty preferences and professional career plans. ConclusionNursing students' career interests are influenced by individual factors external to their nursing education, such as their age, gender, and life experiences. These student characteristics and experiences facilitated or inhibited a career in some nursing specialties, with the students gauging their ability to practice in a specialty during their CPs. Nursing education should expose and inform students about the core skills, career opportunities, and how to advance their careers in the different nursing specialties. Most importantly, final-year students may need formal career guidance to encourage nursing students' positive attitudes and career interests in different nursing specialties and make realistic career decisions.

Exploring Factors Influencing Medical Trainees’ Specialty Choice: Insights from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey in Jordan

Phenomenon: Choosing a medical specialty is a critical decision that significantly impacts medical students’ future career. Understanding the factors influencing this decision-making process is important for medical educators, policymakers, and healthcare providers to develop effective strategies that support and guide students in making informed decisions. Approach: We distributed an online self-administered questionnaire to clinical-year medical students (Years 4 to 6) and interns from all medical faculties in Jordan. The questionnaire gathered demographic information, specialty preferences, and factors influencing specialty decision-making. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Findings: 1805 participants completed the questionnaire (51.7% women). General surgery was the most preferred specialty among both genders, followed by internal medicine. Women significantly preferred family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and dermatology, whereas men significantly preferred urology, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, general surgery, and internal medicine. The factors that most strongly influenced respondents’ specialty preferences were the specialty’s perceived stress levels and working hours, whereas the least influential factors were the specialty’s perceived prestige and role models in the specialty. Women’s specialty preferences were significantly more influenced by their family than men’s. Men were substantially more influenced by specialties’ perceived action-orientation and stress levels than women. Insights: Gender significantly influences medical trainees’ specialty preferences in Jordan. Women tended to prefer specialties that provided greater work-life balance, such as family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and dermatology, while men were more drawn toward competitive and profitable surgical specialties like orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, urology, and general surgery. Additionally, family had a stronger influence on women’s decisions, likely due to cultural and social expectations prioritizing marriage and family for women. Career counseling and mentorship programs are needed to provide guidance, support, and networking opportunities that can help women overcome barriers and biases that may hinder their career advancement.

Negative Impact of Smaller Hometown Size on the Educational Experience of Medical Students: A Nationwide Study in Saudi Arabia.

Background and objective Saudi Arabia's rapid medical education expansion has posed unique challenges for its students, particularly concerning specialty selection. Having broad exposure to medical specialties is crucial for making informed decisions. This study explores how the size of students' hometowns influences their exposure to their preferred specialty, thereby affecting their choice. Methods Our cross-sectional study collected data from medical students in their 4th and 5th years, interns, and graduates across Saudi Arabia. An electronic survey gathered information about medical specialty choice, interest levels, students' self-ranking compared to their peers, and level of exposure to the chosen specialty. Overall exposure to specialties was quantified by tallying participants' experiences in preclinical observerships, didactic lectures, research projects, core and elective rotations, and attended conferences. We divided the students into three city sizes: primary urban centers, intermediate urban cities, and small townships and compared the outcomes between these three groups. Results Responses were obtained from 1,072 participants, with 424 (39.6%) from primary urban centers, 367 (34.2%) from intermediate urban cities, and 281 (26.2%) from small townships. Student hometown size was an independent predictor of specialty exposure, with students from smaller cities reporting lower exposure scores (OR = 0.73, (0.63-0.84), p<0.01). The study also identified gender disparities in exposure, with female students found to be correlated with a lower exposure score (OR = 0.72, (0.58-0.89), p<0.01). Conclusion City size is a significant determinant of specialty exposure for Saudi medical students. These findings highlight the need for initiatives that promote equal educational experiences, ensuring comprehensive specialty exposure to all students.

Specialty preferences of undergraduate medical students: What do they choose and why?

BackgroundThe choice of choosing a specialty after completing MBBS is influenced by multiple factors. Personality traits like extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and open-mindedness form the intrinsic factors. Factors like early financial stability and cost of education form the external factors. This study evaluates the association between these factors and the specialty choice. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study including students from first year to intern doctors in India. An online questionnaire was used for data collection which included questions about demographics, choice of specialty, personality traits, and external factors affecting their choice. The Big Five Inventory-2-S 30-item Scale (BFI-2-S) was used to assess the personality traits. ResultsOne thousand nine hundred and twenty-one students participated in this study (57.6% females). Most participants, 1761 (91.7%) opted for clinical branches. Only 13 (0.7%) students wanted to pursue a non-clinical branch. Only 20 (1.0%) participants wanted to pursue a pre-clinical branch. Participants who opted for clinical branches were more extraverted, and more open-minded than those who chose non-clinical branches. Participants who opted for surgical branches were more extraverted, more conscientious, and had fewer negative emotions than their peers who chose medicine-related branches. High income generated per annum (65%), early financial stability (within 2–5 years) (60.7%), cost of postgraduate education (46%), and gender predominance (35.3%) were the most influential external factors. ConclusionThese findings show that there are distinct personality traits and external factors associated with specialty choices. This will aid counselors to guide undergraduate medical students to choose a specialty for post-graduation.

The Effect of Learning Style Preference, Clerkship Training and Role Model on Specialization Selection

Aim: The clerkship period in medical schools is an integrated learning experience that is also helpful in choosing a future career. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of both general surgery clerkshipship and awareness of learning styles on specialty preferences of medical students. Methods: In this study, which was planned as an educational intervention, a questionnaire questioning specialty preferences and a learning style scale were administered to fourth-year medical students before their general surgery clerkships. Following the questionnaire, brief training was given about specialty branches and learning styles. After the clerkship, the students were asked to answer the questionnaire again about their specialty preferences. Changes between clerkship training, learning style awareness and specialty preferences were evaluated. Results: One hundred eight students participated in the study (M:81, F:27). The mean age was 23.0. The most important factor in choosing a specialty is professional satisfaction (64%) with the work in that specialty. The approach of the trainers in the clerkship training (67%) was to focus on the most influential mind-changing factors for the choice of specialty. The most common learning styles among female students were kinesthetic and visual, while the most common learning style among male students was auditory. However, the learning style of students who preferred surgical branches was generally in the kinesthetic group. Conclusions: An effective clerkship program in which students encounter effective positive role models, gain knowledge about their field of specialization and learning styles, and increase their awareness will provide the right guidance in their specialization preferences.

The impact of empathy on medical students: an integrative review

IntroductionEmpathy is considered the ability to understand or feel others emotions or experiences. As an important part of medical education, empathy can affect medical students in many ways. It is still lacking a comprehensive evaluation of the existing articles on empathy’s impact on medical students, despite the existence of many articles on the topic.ObjectivesTo summarize the impact of empathy on medical students during medical education from four perspectives: mental health, academic performance, clinical competence, and specialty preference.MethodsThe search terms used for retrieval were “empathy”, “medical student”, “mental health”, “depression”, “anxiety”, “burnout”, “examinations”, “academic performance”, “clinical competence”, “specialty preference” on PubMed, EBSCO, and Web of Science before January 2024. The search was carried out by two reviewers. Titles and abstracts were screened independently and reviewed based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. A consensus was drawn on which articles were included.ResultsOur results indicated that high empathy was a positive factor for mental health, However, students with high affective empathy were more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and burnout. Empathy was found to be unrelated to academic performance, but positively correlated with clinical competence, particularly in terms of communication skills. Medical students with high levels of empathy tended to prefer people-oriented majors.ConclusionsMedical students who score higher on the self-reported empathy scales often have better mental health, better communication skills, and tend to choose people-oriented specialties. But empathy is not related to academic performance. Additionally, the different dimensions of empathy have different impacts on medical students. It is necessary to design targeted courses and training for medical students to enhance their empathy.

Specialties preference by gender among medical students at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa.

To determine the speciality preferences and the gender differences in the choice of speciality among medical students at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa. This cross-sectional study was conducted among fourth- to sixth-year medical students. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data analysis was performed using STATA version 16 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, United States). A total of 174 students participated (response rate of 74%). Their median age was 23 years with interquartile range of 2 years. More than half (57%) were females. About 83% had no previous qualifications. Most (89%) have shown interest in pursuing specialist training. Surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology and internal medicine were the most selected specialities, while family medicine, ophthalmology, forensic medicine, public health medicine, ear, nose and throat, and accident and emergency medicine were the least preferred. Males were more likely interested in surgery and internal medicine, while females preferred obstetrics and gynaecology. The majority of the medical students intends to pursue their postgraduate medical training. Even though the results were not statistically significant, there are gender differences in speciality preferences. There is a need to develop and implement career guidance and recruitment plans to deal with specialities with poor recruitment and gender imbalance.Contribution:To deal with specialties with poor and gender imbalance, career guidance and recruitment plans must be developed and implemented.

DO seniors and IMGs have lower match probabilities than MD seniors after adjusting for specialty choice and USMLE Step 1 score.

It is unknown if US residency applicants of different educational backgrounds (US allopathic [MD], Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine [DO], and international medical graduates [IMG]) but comparable academic performance have similar match success. Our objective was to compare match probabilities between applicant types after adjusting for specialty choice and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 scores. We performed a secondary analysis of published data in National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) reports from 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022 for US MD seniors, DO seniors, and IMGs (US citizens and non-US citizens). We examined the 10 specialties with the most available spots in 2022. Average marginal effects from a multiple variable logistic regression model were utilized to estimate each non-MD senior applicant type's probability of matching into their preferred specialty compared to MD seniors adjusting for specialty choice, Step 1 score, and match year. Each non-MD applicant type had a lower adjusted percent difference in matching to their preferred specialty than MD seniors,-7.1 % (95 % confidence interval [CI],-11.3 to-2.9) for DO seniors,-45.6 % (-50.6 to-40.5) for US IMGs, and-56.6 % (-61.5 to-51.6) for non-US IMGs. Similarly, each non-MD applicant type had a lower adjusted percent difference in matching than MD seniors across almost all Step 1 score ranges, except for DO seniors with Step 1 scores <200 (-2.0 % [-9.5 to 5.5]). After adjusting for specialty choice, Step 1 score, and match year, non-US MD applicants had lower probabilities of matching into their preferred specialties than their US MD colleagues.

The Impact of United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 Transitioning To Pass/Fail on Medical Student Perception of Research Needed to Match Into One's Preferred Specialty.

Purpose To evaluate how the transition of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 to a pass/fail scoring influenced medical student perceptions of the importance of research required to match into their preferred residency specialty. Methods A 14-item survey was distributed by e-mail to medical students at one medical school in the southeastern United States in November of 2021. Responses were compared between medical students taking USMLE Step 1 pass/fail in the future and medical students taking USMLE Step 1 for a three-digit score. Results A total of 168 medical students responded to the survey with 98 respondents who planned on taking USMLE Step 1 pass/fail (45 first-year medical students (MS1) and 53 MS2) and 70 respondents who took USMLE Step 1 for a numerical score (37 MS3and 33 MS4). There were no differences in how each cohort scored the level of importance of research in matching into their preferred residency specialty (p=0.10); however, those taking USMLE Step 1 pass/fail believe an average of 4.6 research experiences are necessary to match into their preferred residency, compared to only 3.4 research experiences for those who took it for a numerical score (p=0.04). Conclusion No statistically significant difference in the perceived importance of research in matching into one's preferred residency specialty was found between cohorts. However, the pass/fail cohort believes they will need more research experiences to match their chosen specialty than the numerical score cohort. Results could indicate that students participate in more research and extracurricular activities to be more competitive for residency applications.

The magnitude of influence of personal and professional factors on the career choices of medical students.

Medical students face uncertainty in choosing their future careers, which is influenced by personal and professional factors and can have a direct impact on the healthcare system and society. In this study, we aimed to analyze the magnitude of influence of personal and professional factors on students' choices of a future specialty, among medical students in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. This cross-sectional exploratory study used cluster sampling and collected demographic data, influencing factors, preferred specialty, and engagement level, using a 20-item questionnaire. The study included 1,105 students, of which 60.5% were women. Income was the most influential factor for both sexes (68.5%) and was statistically significant for men (P < 0.0001), with personal experience and type of patients served being more important for women. Many students (42.6%) were undecided about their future specialty. However, general surgery was the most preferred specialty, followed by internal medicine (10.9%) and obstetrics and gynecology (5.5%). Women had a significantly higher mean personal score than men, indicating a preference for surgery (3.07 ± 2.2 vs. 2.78 ± 2.1; P = 0.029). In this study, we found that income significantly influenced medical students' choices of specialty, with surgery being the most common, and that many students are undecided about their specialty, needing career counseling and mentoring programs.

Zodiac Signs Personality Traits and Dental Specialty

Introduction: Astrologers assume that the sun sign dictates personality. A relationship between personality traits and sun signs exists, though a degree of relation could vary. Selecting a career is thought to be dependent on a number of factors and the perceived suitability of one’s personality characteristics to a certain career is one among other factors. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore zodiac signs and related personality traits of dental students and their perception toward dental specialties. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out among (n = 447) undergraduates and postgraduate dental students in Andhra Pradesh. A pretested 3 questionnaire was used to collect data regarding demographics, education level, zodiac-related personality traits, and preferred dental specialty, which was assessed using Google Forms. A Chi-square test was done to know the association. Results: There is a statistical significance (&lt;0.001) between the zodiac sign and the dental specialty they prefer. Majority of extroverts preferred surgery and conservative, while introverts chose pedodontics and periodontics. Ambiverts chose orthodontics and public health dentistry. Conclusion: Different personality types choose different specialties. There might be connections to zodiac signs that demand further research.