Medical career choice and practice location: early factors predicting course completion, career choice and practice location.
OBJECTIVE
The overall aim of the study was to identify the factors that best predict medical career choice and practice location.


METHODS
A longitudinal, cohort study was conducted. This followed 2 cohorts of students, numbering a total of 229 students, who commenced medical studies at the University of Western Australia in 1984 and 1989. Data concerning the students' sociodemographic backgrounds, admission scores and personality characteristics were collected in Year 1. Regression analyses were performed to identify the student characteristics that best predicted course completion, a choice of general practice 4 years after graduation and a rural location of practice.


RESULTS
We found that students who had lower university admission scores and who were less outgoing were less likely to complete the course. Students who were male, had a father in medicine and were more creative and abstract in their thinking and more conscientious and rule-bound were more likely to choose a specialist career. A rural background was found to be the most important predictor of both rural general and specialist practice.
Department of General Practice, University of Western Australia, Claremont, Western Australia, Australia. alison.ward@uwa.edu.au
Alison M
AM
Ward
Max
M
Kamien
Derrick G
DG
Lopez
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002321:Career Choice; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011365:Professional Practice Location; D012423:Rural Health; D014504:Urban Health