title: Relationship between personality traits and choosing a medical specialty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The recent imbalance in the labor market structure of medical specialists can cause problems in access to care, and result in lower quality and increased costs of medical care. The labor market structure of medical specialists requires discussion in relation to specialty selection and personality traits. This study examined the relationship between personality traits and specialist selection among medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and a customized questionnaire. The participants were 358 medical students of the College of Medicine at Chang Gung University.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medical students scored the highest in Intraception and the lowest in Deference. Women scored significantly higher compared to men for Intraception, Succorance, and Change, whereas men scored significantly higher than women for Dominance and Heterosexuality. Medical students who have family or friends who are also physicians scored higher in Affiliation and lower in Deference than other medical students. Medical students who did not participate in extracurricular activities scored higher in Aggression than those who did. Fourth-year medical students scored significantly higher in Succorance than 7(th)-year medical students. A significant difference was found among medical students of different specialties regarding Exhibition, Autonomy, Intraception, Succorance, and Nurturance. Surgery students scored significantly higher in Exhibition than general medicine students. Students who chose a specialty scored higher in Autonomy than general medicine students. General medicine students scored higher in Intraception and Succorance than surgery students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study can be used as a frame of reference in the field of medical education or in the formulation of governmental policies regarding physician human resource management.
authors: School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Lin-Kou Medical Center, Taiwan. Electronic address: fangjits@adm.cgmh.org.tw.
authors: Ji-Tseng
authors: JT
authors: Fang
authors: Department of Medical Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
authors: Shu-Chung
authors: SC
authors: Lii
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013038:Specialization; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: medical specialties; medical students; personality traits