title: Influences on specialty choice for students entering person-oriented and technique-oriented specialties.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, OH 45401-0927, USA. nicole.borges@wright.edu
authors.forename: Nicole J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: R Stephen
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Manuel
authors.forename: Ryan D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.forename: Dinah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fedyna
authors.forename: Bonnie J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: 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