title: Impact of family and gender on career goals: results of a national survey of 4586 surgery residents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine how marriage, children, and gender influence US categorical general surgery residents' perceptions of their profession and motivations for specialty training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional national survey administered after the January 2008 American Board of Surgery In-service Training Examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred forty-eight US general surgery residency programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  All US categorical general surgery residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated demographic characteristics with respect to survey responses using the chi(2) test, analysis of variance, and multivariate logistic regression. Interaction terms between variables were assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Perceptions of respondents regarding the future of general surgery and the role of specialty training in relation to anticipated income and lifestyle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey response rate was 75.0% (4586 respondents). Mean age was 30.6 years; 31.7% were women, 51.3% were married, and 25.4% had children. Of the respondents, 28.7% believed general surgery is becoming obsolete (30.1% of men and 25.9% of women; P = .004), and 55.1% believed specialty training is necessary for success (56.4% of men and 52.7% of women; P = .02). Single residents and residents without children were more likely to plan for fellowship (59.1% single vs 51.9% married, P < .001; 57.0% with no children vs 50.1% with children, P < .001). In our multivariate analyses, male gender was an independent predictor of worry that general surgery is becoming obsolete (P = .003). Female residents who were single or had no children tended to identify lifestyle rather than income as a motivator for specialty training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Marital status, children, and gender appear to have a powerful effect on general surgery residents' career planning.
authors.affiliation: Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Kate V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Viola
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bucholz
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Crystal L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Piper
authors.forename: Crystal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piper
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Julie Ann
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sosa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D012737:Sex Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States