title: Anaesthesia as a career choice in a developing country; effect of clinical clerkship.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the fourth year medical student's knowledge regarding anaesthesia as a specialty, their attitude towards anaesthesia as a career choice and the effect of clinical clerkship on these.
  
  
  METHODS
  This survey was conducted in the Department of Anaesthesia of a university medical centre in a developing country. One hundred and fifty year four medical students rotating in anaesthesia were enrolled. They were asked to fill a structured questionnaire before (pre) and after (post) their anaesthesia rotation. The questionnaire sought information on their perception of anaesthesia as a specialty, role of anaesthetists clerkship duration, and reasons for considering or not considering anaesthesia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prior to anaesthesia clerkship 12 students (8%) included anaesthesia in their first three career choices (2 as first preference). Post clerkship 36 (24%) included it in their first 3 career choices (3 as first preference). There was a change in perception of specialty for 57 participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings support the positive influence of anaesthesia clerkship on changing the attitude of medical students towards anaesthesia specialty in a developing country with shortage of anaesthesia personnel.
authors: Department of Anaesthesia, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors: Fauzia Anis
authors: FA
authors: Khan
authors: Fauzia Nasim
authors: FN
authors: Minai
authors: Shahla
authors: S
authors: Siddiqui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D013038:Specialization; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult