Influences on specialty choice for students entering person-oriented and technique-oriented specialties.
BACKGROUND
Given changing trends in specialty choices among medical students coupled with continued challenges associated with medical specialty decision-making, it is important for medical educators to understand how students make decisions about their medical career. Medical educators should be aware of how medical school-based experiences and interactions such as faculty, courses, and services impact students' specialty choices and decisions.


OBJECTIVE
The study determined if differences in influences on specialty decision-making exist for students entering person-oriented specialties versus technique-oriented specialties.


METHODS
Three hundred and fifty-six fourth-year medical students completed a questionnaire about how the faculty, curriculum, student services, mentoring and professional development programs, lifestyle considerations, family/friends, and other factors influenced their choice of specialty.


RESULTS
Chi-square analyses indicated that students pursuing person-oriented specialties compared to technique-oriented specialties were moderately more likely to be influenced by their personal physician, by school faculty, and by medical school activities; slightly more likely to be influenced by medical school offices and services; and slightly less likely to be influenced by income expectations.


CONCLUSIONS
Students interested in person-oriented specialties versus technique-oriented specialties indicate differences in what influences their specialty choice. This study may be helpful to medical educators and advisors who work with students on specialty decision-making.
Borges
Nicole J
NJ
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, OH 45401-0927, USA. nicole.borges@wright.edu
Manuel
R Stephen
RS
Duffy
Ryan D
RD
Fedyna
Dinah
D
Jones
Bonnie J
BJ
D002321:Career Choice; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003657:Decision Making; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D013038:Specialization / Q000639:trends*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires