Influence of third-year clerkships on medical student specialty preferences

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to investigate influences on third-year medical students' specialty preferences.Method - A survey questionnaire was mailed to third-year medical students at two medical schools. The questionnaire asked students to rate the degree to which various aspects...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advances in health sciences education : theory and practice 1998, Vol.3 (3), p.177-186
Main Authors: ELLSBURY, K. E, CARLINE, J. D, IRBY, D. M, STRITTER, F. T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Educational organization
Educational sciences
Eligibility
General points
Higher education
Influence
Internal Medicine
Medical students
Preferences
Primary care
Questionnaires
Students
United States, Canada
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Summary:Purpose - The purpose of this study was to investigate influences on third-year medical students' specialty preferences.Method - A survey questionnaire was mailed to third-year medical students at two medical schools. The questionnaire asked students to rate the degree to which various aspects of the third-year curriculum and perceived specialty characteristics influenced their specialty preferences.Results - A total of 214 (70%) of eligible students responded, of whom 46% were female and 57% preferred primary care (PC) specialties. The most frequently cited influential clerkship was internal medicine. Most clerkships (72%) had a positive influence on students' preferences. PC clerkships had more positive influences than non-primary care (NPC) clerkships, especially among PC-oriented students. The most influential aspects of clerkships were faculty and residents, especially in PC clerkships. For both PC- and NPS-oriented students, the diagnostic and patient-related characteristics of their preferred specialties were highly influential. PC-oriented students were more likely to be attracted to prevention and biopsychosocial aspects of specialties, and NPC-oriented students to the opportunity to do procedures and intervene in illnesses. Student gender appeared to have little influence on response patterns, except as a proxy for specialty preference, which, for women, was more likely to be a primary care specialty.Conclusion - These findings suggest that the third-year clerkships, especially at non-university sites, play an important role in specialty choice, and that factors attracting students to PC differ significantly from those attracting students to NPC.
ISSN:1382-4996
1573-1677
DOI:10.1023/A:1009748211832