Medical students’ views on selecting paediatrics as a career choice

Abstract

Despite increasing numbers of UK medical students, the number of trainees selecting paediatrics as their specialty choice has decreased. Previous studies show that most students will choose their ultimate career during undergraduate training. We therefore explored the views of students in the final year at Birmingham University about a career in paediatrics. Students completed a 27-item questionnaire during the penultimate week of their paediatric clerkship (PC) and 97% responded (127/131). Prior to the PC, 29% (37/127) of students had considered a career in paediatrics, rising to 50% (63/127) after the PC (p < 0.001). Students felt that paediatricians were enthusiastic and keen on teaching, and the ward working atmosphere was good. However, students perceived paediatrics as a difficult specialty with high competition for training posts. Students felt their paediatric experience was too limited and advice was needed on paediatric careers early in undergraduate training. This study confirmed that focusing on improving the PC is not sufficient if we are to inspire medical students to consider a career in paediatrics. Exposure to the specialty is needed from year 1 of undergraduate training along with career advice to dispel current myths about specialty training. Students would then be able to make more informed career decisions.

Dynamics of career choice among students in undergraduate medical courses. A BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No. 33

“…We hypothesize that while students progress through their studies, career preferences, guided by intrinsic factors of genuine content interest become gradually supplemented or replaced by extrinsic factors that limit their scope of choice options. An indication for this hypothesis is found when a subgroup analysis compared four studies performed among first-year students (Hughes et al 2008;Pedersen et al 2011;van Tongeren-Aleres et al 2011;Cleland et al 2012) with 13 studies performed among final-year medical students (Maiorova et al 2008;Lefevre et al 2010a,b;Bindal et al 2011;Firth & Wass 2011;Ravindra & Fitzgerald 2011;Andlauer et al 2012;Gedrose et al 2012;Diderichsen et al 2013;Ferrari et al 2013;Halder et al 2013;Andlauer et al 2013;Svirko et al 2013). Factors solely associated with specialty preferences in first-year medical students appear more personal oriented (e.g., geography, self-confidence, and positive attitude toward patient population) compared to factors solely associated in final-year students which appear to be more specialty oriented (e.g., lifestyle, status, workload, specialty representation by media, and personal experiences in specific specialty).…”

“…For example, a psychiatric family member or acquaintances, positively influences a career choice for psychiatry (Lempp et al 2012;Baller et al 2013). Or illness yourself as a child (Bindal et al 2011), and the influence of a role model or mentor may affect your preference, this could be in a positive or negative way. Evidence for the influence of these experiences is limited since they are associated with career choice in a single or two studies; specialty representation in the media or internet, perception of career options, experiences prior to medical school, perception of gender differences, and perception of status.…”

Specialty choice in times of economic crisis: a cross-sectional survey of Spanish medical students

“…While most have been conducted in the USA,1–13 16 18 19 22 24 25 others have addressed the determinants of specialisation in Canada,14 17 21 23 32 Australia,15 35 the UK,20 26 30 34 Ireland,29 France,27 36 Finland,31 Germany,33 Spain37 and Japan 28. In view of growing concerns about a shortage of generalists, many studies have focused on the decision to seek a career in primary care,2 4–6 18 25 family medicine,14 32 general practice,15 20 33 35 internal medicine,22 24 paediatrics30 and general surgery 913 16 19 23 29 34…”

“…An extensive list of factors influencing specialty choice has been considered, including: financial remuneration,1–6 8–15 17 19 24 35 lifestyle and work hours,1 2 4–16 19 21–24 29 33 35–37 prestige among colleagues or the general public,1–5 9 10 13–15 19 25 37 mentors and other role models,1 5 7 15 16 18 19 21 23 31 34 36 the length of the residency training programme,1 3 5 12 13 15 16 32 the clinical clerkship experience in medical school,1 5 13 15 16 19 21 22 25 30 direct patient interaction and continuity of care,2–4 9 10 13 24 27 32 33 35 debt upon graduation,5 6 8 13 15 16 22 25 research and teaching opportunities,2 5 10 14 15 35 potential for career advancement,13 15 29 31 influence of parents, relatives and peers,4 5 15 32 malpractice litigation risk,8 9 15 opportunity to perform procedures or work with new technology,…”

Does the amount of time medical students spend in the operating room during the general surgery core clerkship affect their career decision?

“…Students on service A chose a surgical specialty a significantly larger percent of the time than students on the other two services. Studies show many MS have made their career choice before the third year of medical school3,[16][17][18][19] . It is likely that students with a previous interest in the surgical field choose their GSCC clerkship service based on reputation, with MS interested in surgery choosing rotations that are more difficult, time consuming, and generally more demanding such as service A.Service B is a more diverse general surgery service.…”