Subsequent Career Choice Research Articles

Elective placements for medical students in a regional Public Health Department in Ireland

Abstract Exposure to different specialties during medical school influences the subsequent career choice of students. We describe the development of elective student placements in Public Health in a regional Public Health Department (PHD) in Ireland which serves a population of just over one million. In September 2023, a collaboration to oversee the electives was established between our PHD (HSE Dublin and Midlands) and an academic institution (Trinity College Dublin (TCD)). An Elective Working Group (WG) was formed which developed learning objectives and an elective plan. The electives were scheduled for October and November 2023. The key learning objectives were for students to: • Develop an understanding of the role of Public Health across all domains, in our regional PHD and in Ireland; • Develop an understanding of the career pathway in Public Health Medicine in Ireland; • Contribute to a public health project within the PHD. The elective plan included approximately 15 1:1 tutorials across the public health domains, attendance at PHD meetings and a literature review-based project. Between October and November 2023, two students (one per month) were attached to the PHD. At the end of each elective, students presented project findings to the WG for discussion. Debrief sessions gathered feedback from the students, the WG and the TCD partner. Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Feedback suggested taking pairs of students at the same time may increase efficiency and capacity for future electives in our PHD. A collaborative approach to planning and coordinating the electives was crucial to its success. We are building on this experience to expand the electives with an increased number of students being facilitated by our PHD in 2024, providing students with greater opportunity to gain exposure to Public Health Medicine during medical training. Application and evaluation materials were refined which can be shared. Key messages • The success of the Public Health electives in our regional Public Health Department was underpinned by a collaborative academic partnership and a structured, coordinated approach. • Availability of Public Health electives during medical school training can support students to gain exposure to this specialty in a time when they are considering future career choices.

Dynamics of persistence, withdrawal, and dropout intentions in the initial phase of nursing training: a qualitative longitudinal study

Taking the perspective of career choice as a lifelong, iterative, constructive, and agentic process, the present study focuses on the development of vocational aspirations of nursing trainees; that is, thoughts about a long-term perspective in nursing (i.e., persistence), ideas of finishing the training but changing into another profession after some time (i.e., withdrawal), and decisions to terminate the training before completing the programme through a final examination (i.e., dropout). In order to generate detailed insights about the dynamics behind the development of such aspirations during the initial training phase, a qualitative, longitudinal, within-subject study design based on grounded theory was employed. The results mainly show that social interactions with more experienced nurses, practical work experiences, encounters with environments that are either conducive to learning or not, the satisfaction of different needs (e.g., autonomy, competence, belonging, sense of meaningfulness), as well as the associated feelings of well-being affect how vocational aspirations develop over the first year of training. In addition, the study identifies four different patterns of how trainees typically oscillate between thoughts of staying in nursing and leaving the profession in the short or long run: (a) arriving and wanting to stay, (b) staying as a transitional passage, (c) seeking to stay, and (d) exiting as a knee-jerk reaction. The patterns present evidence of a variety of approaches regarding how trainees deal with certain experiences during their training and how the combination of experiences might affect young professionals’ subsequent career choices.

How does a subsequent entrepreneurship career choice develop? A set-theoretic analysis testing hope theory

ABSTRACT This research explores the complex mechanism leading to a subsequent entrepreneurship career choice (SECC), whether perceived as a failure or not. It mobilizes the theory of hope (via the role of optimism and grit) and the components of the theory of planned behavior (attitude, subjective norms, and self-efficacy). The study involved 48 previous entrepreneurs not currently in the reentry process. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis was used. Results reveal that the entrepreneurial attitude forged through first-hand experience is the most critical element in understanding an SECC. Optimism can substitute for this attitude, and grit plays a lesser role, as do the other variables. This study underscores the central role of attitude and optimism in explaining entrepreneurial career persistence, transitioning from a novice to a serial entrepreneur, with grit playing a somewhat secondary role. Configurational approaches prove essential to understanding entrepreneurial intention, notably for an SECC.

Evaluating the Long-Term Effects of Parental Involvement in Child’s Education

This study investigates the long-term effects of parental involvement in a child’s education, utilizing a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. The study employs co-relational analysis to explore the potential association between the degree of parental involvement throughout childhood and subsequent educational attainment, career choices, and self-reported life satisfaction in adulthood. The research utilizes a sample of 200 individuals aged 25-60, with varying levels of parental involvement reported through retrospective self-reports and parent-teacher communication records from their school files, obtained with informed consent.

Academic Factors Influencing Students Career Choices in the IT Field: Insights from South African IT Students

Effective career decision-making is pivotal for students, influencing their prospects and employability. This study delves into the nuanced relationship between academic factors and career choices among Information Technology (IT) students. While existing literature acknowledges the broad impact of academic performance on career decisions, limited research explores this dynamic within the context of South African universities. This research employs a comprehensive mixed-methods approach, examining the influence of educational experience, mentorship, access to resources, and institutional support on students' academic performance and subsequent career choices. Through statistical analysis and qualitative interviews, the study unveils unique insights into the interconnected effects of these factors on IT career pursuits. The findings bear significance for educators, career counselors, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. By understanding the multifaceted elements shaping academic performance and career decisions, institutions can tailor support programs, refine curricula, and nurture holistic student development. Employers stand to gain insights into the attributes of high-performing individuals, aiding talent management and recruitment. For IT students, this research provides a profound exploration of the intricate links between academic performance, career choices, and outcomes, contributing to the broader discourse on workforce development and the future of the IT sector.

The Feasibility of Practical Training in Minimally Invasive Surgery at Medical School-A Prospective Study on the Pelvitrainer.

Background and Objectives: The acquisition of practical skills at medical school is an important part of the multidimensional education program of future physicians. However, medical schools throughout the world have been slow in incorporating practical skills in their curriculum. Therefore, the aims of the present prospective study were (a) to demonstrate the feasibility of such surgical training, (b) to objectify its benefit in medical education, and (c) to investigate the impact of such training on subsequent career choices. Material and Methods: We introduced a two-day laparoscopy course on the pelvitrainer as part of the curriculum of the gynecological internship of fifth year medical students from 2019 to 2020. The results of the students' training were matched to those of surgeons who completed the same curriculum in a professional postgraduate laparoscopy course from 2017 to 2020 in a comparative study design. Additionally, we performed a questionnaire-based evaluation of the impact of the course on medical education and subsequent career choices directly before and after completing the course. Results: A total of 261 medical students and 206 physicians completed the training program. At baseline, the students performed significantly more poorly than physicians in a median of three of four exercises (p < 0.001). However, this evened out in the final runs, during which students performed more poorly than physicians only in one exercise and even better than physicians in one. The general integration of surgical training in medical school curricula was rated very low (12.4% on the VAS, IQR 3-16%) despite the high demand for such training. In the survey, the course was deemed very beneficial for medical education (median VAS 80.7%, IQR 73-98%), but did not appear to influence the students' subsequent career preferences. Conclusions: The acquisition of practical surgical skills during medical school is significantly under-represented in many medical faculties. The benefits of such training, as demonstrated in our study, would improve the education of future physicians.

Surgical experiences of final-year undergraduates and the impact on their career aspiration stratified by sex/gender.

Surgical undergraduate training takes place in a male-dominated work environment that struggles with recruitment problems. Experiences of cultural and sex/gender-specific barriers of women in surgery have been reported worldwide. Overall, the experiences that students have in coping with the emotional impact of surgery as a profession are thought to be crucial to their subsequent career choices. We investigated whether students' self-reported experiences differed by sex/gender in terms of frequency and content, and whether they were related to their career aspirations. In Germany, the final year represents the last part of the undergraduate medical study program. At the Mannheim Medical Faculty, a 12-week surgical training is mandatory. After completing their surgical training, the students were asked about their experiences and their later career aspirations. These experiences were analysed using quantitative content analysis. The relationship between the quality of experience and career aspirations as well as sex/gender differences were statistically measured. In the 475 questionnaires analysed (response rate 52%), the number of positive and negative mentions does not differ by sex/gender. However, male students feel more actively involved and female students feel poorly briefed and think that supervisors are less interested in their training. A significant influence on career aspirations was found in the performance category for female and male students, and in the supervision category for female students. The positive experiences that students gain while performing surgical activities have an impact on their subsequent career choices. In particular, a good settling-in period and encouragement to actively participate could help to attract more women to surgery.

Beyond educating students about business failure: The role of optimism training and hope

ABSTRACT Teaching entrepreneurship students about failure can help them better cope with business failure and learn from it. This is important given evidence that experienced entrepreneurs are more successful. Entrepreneurship educators raise the concern that teaching students about failure may make them apprehensive about pursuing entrepreneurship. We examine the impact of optimism training on individuals who are learning about business failure (distinguishing between large and small failure) to study the impact of failure on career choice. Using a randomized experiment, we study the underlying mechanism – the feeling of hope – in how failure magnitude impacts an individual’s subsequent career choice between wage employment and entrepreneurship. Our findings show that failure magnitude negatively impacts subsequent entrepreneurship career choice by reducing hope. We also find that having an optimistic mind-set moderates this relationship. The negative effect of failure on hope, and subsequent entrepreneurship career choice, is minimized for individuals with an optimistic mind-set.

Association Between Preresidency Peer-reviewed Publications and Future Academic Productivity or Career Choice Among Ophthalmology Residency Applicants

Ophthalmology-residency selection committees require robust metrics to review applicants. Participation in research activities is a core component of the application process for its perceived association with future academic productivity. To evaluate the correlation between the number of preresidency peer-reviewed publications (PPPs) and subsequent peer-reviewed publications or career choices of ophthalmology residency graduates. In this cross-sectional study, names of ophthalmology residency graduates were obtained. PubMed-indexed publication records were generated and publications were categorized as preresidency, intraresidency, and postresidency. First author and journal publications with an impact factor (IF) score of 3 or more were recorded. Current academic and community-based career statuses were designated. Names were obtained from cohort and alumni lists on residency program websites or by emailing program directors. Participants included US Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited ophthalmology residency graduates from 2013 to 2016. The primary outcome measure was association of PPPs with later publications, first authorship, and journal publications with an IF score of 3 or more. The secondary outcome measure was difference in characteristics associated with academic vs community-based ophthalmologist. A total of 964 ophthalmologists (52% of graduates) were studied and most (85.5%) had PubMed-indexed publications. First authorship (ρ = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.67-0.74; P < .001) had a strong positive correlation with intraresidency publications, while journal publications with an IF score of 3 or more (ρ = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.51-0.60; P < .001) and PPPs (ρ = 0.38; 95% CI, 0.32-0.43; P < .001) had moderate and weak positive correlations, respectively. For postresidency publications, journal publications with an IF score of 3 or more (ρ = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.84-0.87; P < .001) had the strongest positive correlation followed by first authorship (ρ = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.74-0.79; P < .001) and PPPs (ρ = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.20-0.31; P < .001). Preresidency (t = 3.3; P = .001), intraresidency (t = 4.1; P < .001), postresidency (t = 7.5; P < .001), first author (t = 6.6; P < .001), and journal publications with an IF score of 3 or more (t = 5.9; P < .001) were greater for academic ophthalmologists compared with community-based ophthalmologists. Preresidency publication history is at least weakly correlated with future publications or work in an academic setting among ophthalmologists. Multiple factors associated with academic productivity were evaluated; however, adjustment for multiple analyses was not done and further testing is required to prove whether these factors are predictive.

An ode to his mistress: ‘Lady Neurology’

It was with considerable trepidation that I agreed to review the latest book by Andrew Lees, Brainspotting: Adventures in Neurology. Given comparisons in the lay press with Oliver Sacks, I was expecting a work of case studies of unusual neurological syndromes (‘The North American who mistook an oblong inflated object for a football!’). Instead, Lees provides us with an autobiographical account of his personal adventures in neurology, in the process vividly reminding those of us who made this their chosen field why we truly love the subspecialty. Given the importance of clinical phenomenology to his subsequent career choice of movement disorders, I was especially intrigued and edified by his childhood love of birdwatching. This, combined with colour blindness forced him to recognize birds, not as most birders do by their plumage, but by their patterns of flight, walking or hopping (indeed, he would not have been able to recognize the Norwegian Blue by its ‘beautiful plumage’, but he certainly would have been able to tell that it was a dead parrot!). He subsequently added to this a unique appreciation for bird calls through the poetry of John Clare.

Interview with RD Hinshelwood

PurposeA one-day conference organised by the University of Essex and the Consortium of Therapeutic Communities, 10 December, 2021 with the theme, “The Unconscious and Organisations”. Presentations and discussions throughout the conference had the aim of generating ideas and sharing knowledge about the unconscious and how this can inform practitioners working in therapeutic communities and other organisations meeting the challenge of emotional distress.Design/methodology/approachInterview with Professor Robert (Bob) Hinshelwood (RH), now 83 years old, who has been involved in therapeutic communities (TCs) since 1969, part of the initial founding of the Association of Therapeutic Communities in 1974, is presented. He qualified as a psychoanalyst in 1976. In 1980 he instigated the founding of the International Journal of Therapeutic Communities along with Nick Manning, David Kennard, Jeff Roberts and Barry Shenkar. In 1984 he founded the British Journal of Psychotherapy, and edited it for 10 years. He was Director of the Cassel Hospital 1993–1997. In 1999 he founded the journal Psychoanalysis and History. He was part of the Free Associations Group (founded by Bob Young and others) which ran the journal Free Associations, and with Mike Rustin and the University of East London, the “Psychoanalysis and Public Sphere” conferences in the 1990s. He has written a great deal about the dynamics of organisational cultures in complex settings. He is Fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society, Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Professor Emeritus of the University of Essex. The interviewer was conducted by Dr Gary Winship (GW) is an associate professor at the University of Nottingham where he leads the MA in Trauma Informed Practice, visiting professor Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis, and also visiting professor at the Russian State Humanities University, editor of the International Journal of Therapeutic Communities.FindingsHinshelwood reflects on the question of the unconscious and the impact of destructive tendencies on organisational process. He shares his personal experience being a young evacuee during the Second World War and considers the impact of trauma, losing his religion and his subsequent career choices in medicine, psychiatry and psychoanalysis. He discusses his experience of supervision with Isabel Menzies Lyth and reflects on the different groups in the Institute of Psychoanalysis. He turns to the question tribalism in TCs and regrets that there had not been more bridge building and collaboration. He talks about his own prolific writing and publishing career which he describes as obsessional rather than passionate, and finally candidly reflects on the prospect of facing death.Originality/valueThe interview was transcribed.

Five years on: Influences on early career health professionals from a rural interprofessional pre-registration immersion program.

To ascertain former students' perceptions of and influences from a final-year pre-registration, rurally located, clinically based, 5 week interprofessional program on their subsequent work and career in the health professions. Online survey delivered 5years post-program (4years post-graduation). The Tairāwhiti interprofessional education program was first undertaken in 2012/2013 by students from six health professional degree programs (dentistry, dietetics, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and physiotherapy) in the Tairāwhiti region, New Zealand. Health professionals who attended the Tairāwhiti interprofessional education program in 2012/2013 as students were invited to participate; 70 of 86 (81%) responded in 2017/2018. Five years on, most respondents (91%;64/70) were working as health professionals, with a fifth (23%;15/64) working overseas. Of those currently practising in New Zealand, 51% (24/47) were working in hospital practice and 49% (23/47) in the community, with 56% (27/48) working in metropolitan areas and 44% (21/48) in regional/rural locations. Of the 51 respondents who provided free-text comments about perceived influences of program participation, the majority described positive influences on their clinical practice as health professionals or their subsequent career choices. Five themes emerged from the free-text data: 'made me a better clinician'; 'made me consider rural/regional work'; 'collaborating for care'; 'choosing an area of practice to work in,' and 'little or no impact.' This work reports positive influences on subsequent careers among respondents who had previously participated as final-year students in a rurally located IPE program, particularly with respect to interprofessional working, rural health, and contextual and cultural influences.

Beyond the Individual: A Group-Based Career Development Intervention Implemented in Resource-Constrained Schools in South Africa

ABSTRACT In South African high schools, many learners have limited support in making career related decisions to prepare them for the world of work after school. An important early transition for career-related decision-making is at the end of Grade 9 when learners are expected to decide which subjects they will select for the last phase of high school. Grade 9 is also the juncture where adolescents may decide to exit their formal schooling and enter the labor market. To support Grade 9 learners in making informed career-related decisions, this study examined the effectiveness of a group-based career guidance intervention implemented in eight secondary schools located in resource-constrained communities in the Western Cape, South Africa. The intervention aimed to improve learners’ career decision-making readiness and aid in making subject choices and subsequent career choices. The intervention consisted of interest assessment conducted in a group-format with the learners, after which a workshop was facilitated to share relevant information pertaining to their interests, other career attributes and pending subject choices. The results of this study demonstrate a significant impact of early adolescents’ career adaptability and ability to engage in the career decision-making process. These results show promise in the implementation of group-based career intervention, supporting learners to make informed decisions in relation to their career paths.

Pacific Study Abroad Program’s Impact on Students’ Major and Career Choice

Since 2007, the University of Florida has hosted summer field-based, sustainability-focused study abroad programs in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of these study abroad programs on change of major and subsequent career choice. Program alumni (2007-2019) completed an online questionnaire. N=94 responded to questions about impact on major (yes=1, no=2), career choice (yes=1, no=2), and open-ended responses. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi square, and content analysis. Five of 94 respondents changed majors and 39/93 reported study abroad influenced their career choice. Content analysis revealed participation influenced: n=14 to pursue a sustainability-focused career, n=8 to work in “a helping-profession”, n=6 to pursue ecotourism, and n=4 to study environmental law. Program participation seems to be influential for some in future career choice, but not major change.

Evaluating 10 years of state-funded GP training in GP offices in Switzerland.

Switzerland lacks future general practitioners (GPs). Residents who wished to specialize as general practitioners were formerly trained solely in hospital settings. To better prepare and also attract more young doctors to become GPs, the canton of Bern (equivalent to a state) has implemented a partly state-funded vocational training program in GP practices. Our study examines the efficacy of this 10-year program, identifies factors that positively influence residents in their decision to become a GP and the distribution of new GPs in the canton of Bern, who had taken part in the traineeship. This cross-sectional survey among all residents, who participated in a traineeship in general practice from 2008 to 2017 in the canton of Bern asked if residents had taken a subsequent career choice as a GP and if so in which region. Residents scored the importance of their traineeship and their mentor's influence on becoming a GP. By using zip codes of work area of respondents already working as GPs and matching it with population census data, we could obtain the distribution of GPs on a per capita basis. Out of 165 residents who participated in a traineeship, 151 (92%) completed our survey. 81% had chosen a career as a GP or were on track to become a GP. Almost half of the participants became GPs in the offices of their mentors or in the area. Our respondents emphasized the importance of their mentors' influence as well as the training program in their decision-making to become a GP. Most mentioned benefits of being a GP were broad field of medical care (37%) and a fulfilling doctor-patient relationship (34%). We could show an increase in GP practices in the canton of Bern, not only in urban but also accordingly in rural areas. Most residents continued subsequent careers as general practitioners after having completed a GP traineeship, with almost half of them in the region of their training. A vocational training program helped motivating young doctors to become GPs and underserved regions of the canton of Bern to gain new GPs.

Immersive placement experiences promote rural intent in allied health students of urban and rural origin.

IntroductionPre-vocational placement experiences are known to considerably influence the career preferences of health graduates and are a key factor in growing the rural allied health workforce. This paper explores the rural placement experiences and future work intentions of students who attended a placement with the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health.MethodsPart of a larger longitudinal mixed methods study of students’ placement experiences and subsequent career choices, this study explored students’ placement evaluations responses. Following each placement, students were invited to complete an online survey which asked about their placement experiences and future work intentions. Counts and proportion tests were performed for frequencies of quantitative variables. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were conducted on the paired pre- and post-rural intent scores to determine any perceived differences in intent before and after placement for students both with and without a rural background. Qualitative data from short answer questions were analyzed thematically guided by qualitative content analysis. Data were comparatively analyzed for students of a rural or urban background.ResultsFour hundred and forty end of placement surveys were completed by 275 students (response rate 69.8%). There was a positive shift in intention to work rurally for students of both rural and urban background post-placement, but this was only statistically significant in the group from an urban background (p≤0.001). From the qualitative analysis three themes emerged: immersed rural supported placement experience, immersed interaction in rural life with other students, and immersed interaction in the rural community. Students from both rural and urban backgrounds indicated similar benefits and challenges.ConclusionWhile the positive impact of rural placement experiences and rural background on future rural practice is well known, this study highlights the importance of positive supported placement experience for students from both rural and urban backgrounds.

Why do trainees leave hospital-based specialty training? A nationwide survey study investigating factors involved in attrition and subsequent career choices in the Netherlands

ObjectiveTo gain insight into factors involved in attrition from hospital-based medical specialty training and future career plans of trainees who prematurely left their specialty training programme.DesignNationwide online survey study.SettingPostgraduate education...

Does Research Training During Residency Promote Scholarship and Influence Career Choice? A Cross-Sectional Analysis of a 10-Year Cohort of the UCSF–PRIME Internal Medicine Residency Program

ABSTRACTProblem: The Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, and the Carnegie Foundation report on medical education recommend creating individualized learning pathways during medical training so that learners can experience broader professional roles beyond patient care. Little data exist to support the success of these specialized pathways in graduate medical education. Intervention: We present the 10-year experience of the Primary Care Medicine Education (PRIME) track, a clinical-outcomes research pathway for internal medicine residents at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). We hypothesized that participation in an individualized learning track, PRIME, would lead to a greater likelihood of publishing research from residency and accessing adequate career mentorship and would be influential on subsequent alumni careers. Context: We performed a cross-sectional survey of internal medicine residency alumni from UCSF who graduated in 2001 through 2010. We compared responses of PRIME and non-PRIME categorical alumni. We used Pearson's chi-square and Student's t test to compare PRIME and non-PRIME alumni on categorical and continuous variables. Outcome: Sixty-six percent (211/319) of alumni responded to the survey. A higher percentage of PRIME alumni published residency research projects compared to non-PRIME alumni (64% vs. 40%; p = .002). The number of PRIME alumni identifying research as their primary career role was not significantly different from non-PRIME internal medicine residency graduates (35% of PRIME vs. 29% non-PRIME). Process measures that could explain these findings include adequate access to mentors (M 4.4 for PRIME vs. 3.6 for non-PRIME alumni, p < .001, on a 5-point Likert scale) and agreeing that mentoring relationships affected career choice (M 4.2 for PRIME vs. 3.7 for categorical alumni, p = .001). Finally, 63% of PRIME alumni agreed that their research experience during residency influenced their subsequent career choice versus 46% of non-PRIME alumni (p = .023). Lessons Learned: Our results support the concept that providing residents with an individualized learning pathway focusing on clinical outcomes research during residency enables them to successfully publish manuscripts and access mentorship, and may influence subsequent career choice. Implementation of individualized residency program tracks that nurture academic interests along with clinical skills can support career development within medicine residency programs.

Influencing student specialty choice: the 4 Pillars for Primary Care Physician Workforce Development.

Medical students choose a career in family medicine based on the combined influence of many factors. A framework (pipeline, process of medical education, practice transformation, and payment reform) based on the Four Pillars for Primary Care Physician Workforce Development1 provides a logical basis to address student interest in family medicine. Individual departments of family medicine (DFMs) have variable influence and ability to affect these pillars and subsequent student career choice. While the 4 pillars may imply equal impact of each factor on specialty choice, this commentary describes the differential influence of each, and opportunities for greatest return on investment to best meet the nation’s urgent health care needs.

Does Social Influence Span Time and Space? Evidence from Indian Returnee Entrepreneurs

Research summary We study returnee entrepreneurship through the lens of social influence. Contrary to the conventional view that treats returnee entrepreneurship as discrete decisions by individuals, we examine the transmission of entrepreneurship through important peer networks—university dorm peers and ethnic association networks. We propose enduring effects from peer influence funnelling entrepreneurship entry in distant locations by shaping career aspirations and facilitating resource and information transfer. Using a unique dataset of overseas alumni of a top Indian university, we find strong evidence of the impact of peer influence on the likelihood of returnee entrepreneurship. However, the effect of university peer influence does not extend beyond immediate peer groups in the same cohort. Managerial summary The repatriation of highly skilled migrants has been viewed as important to the supply of entrepreneurial talent in emerging markets. Our study of the overseas alumni of a top Indian university points to the importance of peer influence in determining returnee entrepreneurship. We find that peer ties formed in the early years of university study play a significant role in subsequent career choices and entrepreneurship entry in the home country. We also find co-ethnic professional networks facilitate engagement in returnee entrepreneurship. While policies to encourage returnee entrepreneurship have been geared largely toward promoting formal institutions and economic incentives, our work demonstrates a strong social amplification effect through networks and suggests that peer networks, especially those connecting alumni and ethnic professionals, are important channels to induce returnee entrepreneurship.