title: A nonmetropolitan surgery clerkship increases interest in a surgical career.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The optimal way to recruit the best and brightest medical students to fill the impending shortfall of general surgeons is uncertain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three students were placed into nonmetropolitan sites for their basic surgical clerkship over 3 years. We surveyed students and compared match trends.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When students selected to participate in the nonmetropolitan clerkship were examined, only 22% of students reported interest in a surgical career before their clerkship. This interest in surgery increased to 63% after the nonmetropolitan clerkship, P < .05. When match numbers were examined, students who completed the nonmetropolitan clerkship were significantly more likely to match to a general surgical residency than students who completed the standard clerkship (17% vs 6%, P < .02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data challenge the perception that students should remain at a teaching university for their introductory clerkships. It may be that pairing students with individual faculty, or chief residents, could increase interest in a surgical career.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Mail Code L611, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA. Electronic address: cookmac@ohsu.edu.
authors.forename: Mackenzie R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Mail Code L611, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Moon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Mail Code L611, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Mail Code L611, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kwong
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Mail Code L611, 3181 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kiraly
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003625:Data Collection; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008611:Mentors; D009922:Oregon; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019035:Rural Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Medical student; Rural surgery; Surgical education