title: Lifestyle factors and primary care specialty selection: comparing 2012-2013 graduating and matriculating medical students' thoughts on specialty lifestyle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare how first-year (MS1) and fourth-year students (MS4) ascribe importance to lifestyle domains and specialty characteristics in specialty selection, and compare students' ratings with their primary care (PC) interest.
  
  
  METHODS
  In March 2013, MS4s from 11 U.S. MD-granting medical schools were surveyed. Using a five-point Likert-type scale (1 = not important at all; 5 = extremely important), respondents rated the importance of 5 lifestyle domains and 21 specialty selection characteristics. One-way analysis of variance was used to assess differences by PC interest among MS4s. Using logistic regression, ratings from MS4s were compared with prior analyses of ratings by MS1s who matriculated to the same 11 schools in 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 57% (965/1,701). MS4s, as compared with MS1s, rated as more important to good lifestyle: time off (4.3 versus 4.0), schedule control (4.2 versus 3.9), and financial compensation (3.4 versus 3.2). More MS4s than MS1s selected "time-off" (262/906 [30%] versus 136/969 [14%]) and "control of work schedule" (169/906 [19%] versus 146/969 [15%]) as the most important lifestyle domains. In both classes, PC interest was associated with higher ratings of working with the underserved and lower ratings of prestige and salary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the 2012-2013 academic year, matriculating students and graduating students had similar perceptions of lifestyle and specialty characteristics associated with PC interest. Graduating students placed more importance on schedule control and time off than matriculating students. Specialties should consider addressing a perceived lack of schedule control or inadequate time off to attract students.
authors.affiliation: Ms. Clinite is a fourth-year medical student, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. Dr. DeZee is associate professor of medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Durning is professor of medicine and pathology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Kogan is associate professor, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ms. Blevins is director, Student and Career Development, University of Colorado School of Medicine, and member, Association of American Medical Colleges Careers in Medicine Advisory Committee, Denver, Colorado. Dr. Chou is professor, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California. Dr. Diemer is director, Undergraduate Medical Education, and residency program director, Internal Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Dunne is professor and internal medicine clerkship director, Yale University School of Medicine, and associate program director, Yale Traditional Internal Medicine Residency, New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Fagan is professor of medicine and internal medicine clerkship director, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. Hartung is professor of family and community medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio. Ms. Kazantsev is a fourth-year medical student, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Mechaber is assistant professor of medicine and assistant dean of student services, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida. Dr. Paauw is professor of medicine and Rathmann Family Foundation Endowed Chair for Patient Centered Clinical Education, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington. Dr. Wong is senior associate dean emeritus of medical education and professor of internal m
authors.forename: Kimberly L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Clinite
authors.forename: Kent J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: DeZee
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Durning
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kogan
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blevins
authors.forename: Calvin L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Gretchen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diemer
authors.forename: Dana W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Dunne
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fagan
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hartung
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kazantsev
authors.forename: Hilit F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Mechaber
authors.forename: Douglas S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Paauw
authors.forename: Jeffrey G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Shalini T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Reddy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult