Choice of Medical Specialty: Analysis of Students' Needs

1992 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 215-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Henry ◽  
Frederick T. L. Leong ◽  
Roger Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Career Development ◽  
Medical Specialty ◽  
Vocational Identity ◽  
Clear Picture ◽  
Medical Career ◽  
Entering Students

The purposes of this study were to assess the career development needs of entering medical students as measured by the Medical Career Development Inventory and to examine gender differences in responses to the inventory. A total of 115 entering medical students (representing two entering classes) took the inventory two months prior to matriculation. Analysis suggested that this sample of entering students had formed a vocational identity and that they had evaluated the suitability and viability of a commitment to a physician's career. However, the participants had not formed a clear picture of their specialty interest and goals. No significant gender differences were indicated. A recommended career assistance workshop is presented as appropriate for these students' needs.

scholarly journals Perceptions of freshman medical students of gender differences in medical specialty choice

1985 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 379-83
Author(s):  
S R Bergquist ◽  
B W Duchac ◽  
V A Schalin ◽  
J F Zastrow ◽  
V L Barr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical Specialty ◽  
Specialty Choice

Effectiveness of Career-Development Courses for Nontraditional Premedical Students: Improving Professional Identity

1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (3_part_1) ◽  
pp. 915-920
Author(s):  
Paul Henry
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Career Development ◽  
Professional Identity ◽  
Vocational Identity ◽  
Intervention Strategies ◽  
Professional Identities ◽  
Premedical Students ◽  
Occupational Information ◽  
Vocational Situation

The purposes of this study were to examine the effects of three career-development courses on the professional identities of participating students as measured by My Vocational Situation and to investigate the effect of gender on students’ responses to the scale. A total of 64 students enrolled in a special premedical program took the scale as a pretest and again as a posttest after the completion of three career-development courses. Analysis yielded significant differences between pre- and posttest scores for the three subscales of Vocational Identity, Occupational Information, and Barriers. No significant gender differences were observed at pre- or posttest. Implications for further research designed to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention strategies in career development are discussed.

Understanding Gender Differences Among Medical Students When Choosing Radiology as a Medical Specialty

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 1353-1358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roopa Ram ◽  
Holly Jumper ◽  
Shelly Y. Lensing ◽  
Ji-Ling Tang ◽  
Linda A. Deloney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical Specialty

scholarly journals Do medical students have problem with choosing the specialty? Preliminary report of the medical students population based study

2018 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-119
Author(s):  
Sebastian Sawonik ◽  
Monika Kozłowiec ◽  
Aleksandra Kołodyńska ◽  
Adam Domagała ◽  
Anna Aftyka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Foreign Students ◽  
Preliminary Report ◽  
Career Guidance ◽  
Medical Specialty ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Population Based Study ◽  
Medical Specialization ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Medical Career

Abstract Introduction. Choosing medical specialty is one of the most crucial decisions about future career of graduates. Multiplicity and variety of available options make great opportunities for development of interests and ambitions of future doctors. Unfortunately, it can also be an impediment in making decisions about path of medical career. Aim. The aim of the study was to discover if medical students have problem with choosing specialty and to ask about availability and need of career guidance for medical students. Material and methods. Voluntary survey was conducted via the Internet among medical students in Polish and foreign medical universities. Results. The total number of 565 medical students completed the survey – 371 women (66.5%) and 189 men (33.5%). They were students of 16 medical universities, 10 Polish and 6 foreign ones. Problem with choosing medical specialization reported over 70% respondents. Only 11.9% of the group declare that they participated in classes that were helpful in making decision about their future medical career. Need for career guidance was revealed in over 91.5% answers. Significant difference between genders has been found in reporting problem with choosing medical specialty – it was reported by 75.5% of women and 62.4% of men. There were no differences between the Polish and foreign students and between students in different years of study in all the questioned issues – choice of medical specialization, participation in classes which were helpful in decision making and necessity of counseling in choosing specialization. Conclusion. The results of the study clearly indicate that most of medical students have problem with choosing medical specialty. Guidance is not realized among most of students, despite the fact that the vast majority of them reports need for that kind of consultation.

scholarly journals Gender Differences and Influencing Factors in Specialty Choices: Findings From One Medical School in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kanhua Yin ◽  
Liu Yang ◽  
Rui Zhang ◽  
Difan Zheng ◽  
Michael S. Wilkes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Medical Specialty ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Personal Interest ◽  
Chinese Medical Students ◽  
Job Opportunity ◽  
The Impact

Background: Gender plays a significant role in the selection of medical specialty. Few studies have been conducted to explore the impact of gender differences on specialty choosing among Chinese medical students.Methods: The specialty choices of 648 students from six consecutive classes in an 8-year MD program were collected and compared between male and female students. A total of 110 students from one graduating class were surveyed by a questionnaire covering 22 career influencing factors. Each factor has a scale of zero to three (zero = no influence, one = mild influence, two = moderate influence, and three = strong influence).Results: Statistically significant gender differences were observed in 10 out of 16 specialties. Most male students limited their specialty choices to surgery (64%), internal medicine (12%), and orthopedics (12%), compared with a relatively diversified pattern in female students. For male students, the top three influencing factors were personal interest, future job prospects for the chosen specialty, and job opportunity in academic medicine. The strongest influencing factors of females were personal interest, specialty-specific knowledge and skills, and the sense of achievement. The expected salary was ranked among the top 10 influencing factors in male but not in females, while the work-life balance was ranked among the top 10 factors in females but not in males.Conclusion: There is a significant gender difference regarding specialty choices among Chinese medical students. Career coaching is needed to help students in their specialty choosing process.

Vulnerability of medical students and professionals to extreme work stress: A select review of the literature

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-187
Author(s):  
Maciej Walkiewicz ◽  
Małgorzata Tartas
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Work Stress ◽  
English Language ◽  
Psychological Intervention ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Extreme Stress ◽  
Online Databases ◽  
Medical Career ◽  
Medical University ◽  
The Impact

The goal of the paper is to describe the extent to which medical students and professionals are vulnerable to extreme stress. A select review of existing literature on this area has been undertaken, using the English-language online databases EBSCO, Medline and PubMed. The search has identified 36 citations relating to 6324 medical students and 28,285 medical staff (physicians, residents, nurses). The review indicates that merely beginning medical studies is a risk factor for stress, and that medical professionals, who are vulnerable to extreme work stress, say that they do not receive enough support from their co-workers. They are also often notably impulsive, introverted, neurotic and perfectionist, with low emotional intelligence and agreeableness, as well as low and external locus of control. Additionally, from longitudinal studies we have been able to identify psychological factors underpinning admission to a medical university that may be useful for predicting future stress in medical career. The results of this study may be taken into account when organizing psychological intervention programs targeted at educating future medical professionals. It seems that early identification of people at risk could reduce the impact of stress related to medical career and enhance the somatic and mental health of medical professionals.

The medical career choice motivations — Results from a Hungarian study

Open Medicine ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 502-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmond Girasek ◽  
Regina Molnár ◽  
Edit Eke ◽  
Miklós Szócska
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Career Choice ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Medical Doctor ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Economic Changes ◽  
Traditional Health ◽  
Medical Career ◽  
First Year Medical Students

AbstractSome decades ago being a medical doctor was characterized unambiguously as a profession that offers help and serves the patients’ needs during medical treatment. In today’s society, this image of the medical profession has been substantially changed. The present paper aims to examine medical career choice motivations and preferences of choosing speciality, in the light of current social and economic changes in Hungary. The study was carried out by using a voluntary, self-administrated, questionnaire among first-year medical students and resident doctors in four medical faculties in Hungary. The career choice motivations of the first-year medical students and resident doctors are similar and match to the traditional health profession career choice motivations. Nevertheless the first-year students consider high income as one of the most important factors. They appear more conscious and more ambitious regarding their future speciality choice. The Hungarian health care system and medical education must be prepared for the presence of students that are aware of the high market value of a medical diploma, have excellent language skills, and consider migration as one main factor in their motivation when choosing a medical profession.

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