Dataset Information

What is different about medical students interested in non-clinical careers?

ABSTRACT:

Background

The proportion of medical school graduates who pursue careers other than full-time clinical practice has increased in some countries as the physician's role has evolved and diversified with the changing landscape of clinical practice and the advancement of biomedicine. Still, past studies of medical students' career choices have focused on clinical specialties and little is known about their choice of non-clinical careers. The present study examined backgrounds, motivation and perceptions of medical students who intended non-clinical careers.

Methods

A questionnaire was administered to students at six Korean medical schools distributed across all provinces in the nation. The questionnaire comprised 40 items on respondents' backgrounds, their motivation for and interest in the study of medicine, their perceptions of medical professions, and their career intentions. Data was analyzed using various descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

In total, 1,388 students returned the questionnaire (60% response rate), 12.3% of whom intended non-clinical careers (i.e., basic sciences, non-clinical medical fields, and non-medical fields). Those who planned non-clinical careers were comparable with their peers in their motivation for studying medicine and in their views of medical professions, but they were less interested in the study of medicine (P < 0.01). The two groups also differed significantly on their perceptions of what was uninteresting about the study of medicine (P < 0.01). The two groups were comparable in gender and entry-level ratios but their distributions across ages and years of study differed significantly (P < 0.01). A majority of respondents agreed with the statements that "it is necessary for medical school graduates to pursue non-clinical careers" and that "medical schools need to offer programs that provide information on such careers." Still, our finding indicates that medical school curricula do not address such needs sufficiently.

Conclusions

Our study found some differences in backgrounds and perceptions of the study of medicine in medical students interested in non-clinical careers from their peers. Future studies are suggested to enhance our understanding of medical students" choice of non-clinical careers.

SUBMITTER: Kim KJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3679731 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

What is different about medical students interested in non-clinical careers?

Kim Kyong-Jee KJ Park Jae-Hyun JH Lee Young-Ho YH Choi Kyusik K

BMC medical education 20130604

<h4>Background</h4>The proportion of medical school graduates who pursue careers other than full-time clinical practice has increased in some countries as the physician's role has evolved and diversified with the changing landscape of clinical practice and the advancement of biomedicine. Still, past studies of medical students' career choices have focused on clinical specialties and little is known about their choice of non-clinical careers. The present study examined backgrounds, motivation and ...[more]

PMID: 23731551

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Project description:BackgroundThe medical specialities chosen by doctors for their careers play an important part in the workforce planning of health-care services. However, there is little theoretical understanding of how different medical specialities are perceived or how choices are made, despite there being much work in general on this topic in occupational psychology, which is influenced by Holland's RIASEC (Realistic-Investigative-Artistic-Social-Enterprising-Conventional) typology of careers, and Gottfredson's model of circumscription and compromise. In this study, we use three large-scale cohorts of medical students to produce maps of medical careers.MethodsInformation on between 24 and 28 specialities was collected in three UK cohorts of medical students (1981, 1986 and 1991 entry), in applicants (1981 and 1986 cohorts, N = 1135 and 2032) or entrants (1991 cohort, N = 2973) and in final-year students (N = 330, 376, and 1437). Mapping used Individual Differences Scaling (INDSCAL) on sub-groups broken down by age and sex. The method was validated in a population sample using a full range of careers, and demonstrating that the RIASEC structure could be extracted.ResultsMedical specialities in each cohort, at application and in the final-year, were well represented by a two-dimensional space. The representations showed a close similarity to Holland's RIASEC typology, with the main orthogonal dimensions appearing similar to Prediger's derived orthogonal dimensions of 'Things-People' and 'Data-Ideas'.ConclusionsThere are close parallels between Holland's general typology of careers, and the structure we have found in medical careers. Medical specialities typical of Holland's six RIASEC categories are Surgery (Realistic), Hospital Medicine (Investigative), Psychiatry (Artistic), Public Health (Social), Administrative Medicine (Enterprising), and Laboratory Medicine (Conventional). The homology between medical careers and RIASEC may mean that the map can be used as the basis for understanding career choice, and for providing career counselling.

Project description:ImportanceDermatology is one of the least diverse specialties, while patients from minority racial and ethnic groups and other underserved populations continue to face numerous dermatology-specific health and health care access disparities in the US.ObjectivesTo examine the demographic characteristics and intended career goals of graduating US allopathic medical students pursuing careers in dermatology compared with those pursuing other specialties and whether these differ by sex, race and ethnicity, and/or sexual orientation.Design, setting, and participantsThis secondary analysis of a repeated cross-sectional study included 58 077 graduating allopathic medical students using data from the 2016 to 2019 Association of American Medical Colleges Graduation Questionnaires.Main outcomes and measuresThe proportion of female students, students from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in medicine (URM), and sexual minority (SM) students pursuing dermatology vs pursuing other specialties. The proportions and multivariable-adjusted odds of intended career goals between students pursuing dermatology and those pursuing other specialties and by sex, race and ethnicity, and sexual orientation among students pursuing dermatology.ResultsA total of 58 077 graduating students were included, with 28 489 (49.0%) female students, 8447 (14.5%) URM students, and 3641 (6.3%) SM students. Female students pursuing dermatology were less likely than female students pursuing other specialties to identify as URM (96 of 829 [11.6%] vs 4760 of 27 660 [17.2%]; P < .001) or SM (16 [1.9%] vs 1564 [5.7%]; P < .001). In multivariable-adjusted analyses, students pursuing dermatology compared with other specialties had decreased odds of intending to care for underserved populations (247 of 1350 [18.3%] vs 19 142 of 56 343 [34.0%]; adjusted odd ratio [aOR], 0.40; 95% CI, 0.35-0.47; P < .001), practice in underserved areas (172 [12.7%] vs 14 570 [25.9%]; aOR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.34-0.47; P < .001), and practice public health (230 [17.0%] vs 17 028 [30.2%]; aOR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.38-0.51; P < .001) but increased odds of pursuing research (874 [64.7%] vs 29 121 [51.7%]; aOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.57-1.97; P < .001) in their careers. Among students pursuing dermatology, female, URM, and SM identities were independently associated with increased odds of caring for underserved populations (eg, URM: aOR, 4.05; 95% CI, 2.83-5.80) and practicing public health (eg, SM: aOR, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.51-4.31). URM students compared with non-URM students pursuing dermatology had increased odds of intending to practice in underserved areas (aOR, 3.93; 95% CI, 2.66-5.80), and SM students compared with heterosexual students pursuing dermatology had increased odds of intending to become medical school faculty (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.01-2.57), to pursue administrative roles (aOR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.01-2.59), and to conduct research (aOR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.01-2.98).Conclusions and relevanceThe findings of this cross-sectional study suggest that diversity gaps continue to exist in the dermatology workforce pipeline. Efforts are needed to increase racial and ethnic and sexual orientation diversity and interest in careers focused on underserved care and public health among students pursuing dermatology.

Project description:BackgroundThe shortage of healthcare workers is becoming a serious global problem. The underlying reasons may be specific to the healthcare system in each country. Over the past decade, medicine has become an increasingly unpopular profession in China due to the heavy workload, long-term training, and inherent risks. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has placed the life-saving roles of healthcare professionals under the spotlight. This public health crisis may have a profound impact on career choices in Chinese population.MethodsWe conducted a questionnaire-based online survey among 21,085 senior high school students and 21,009 parents from 24 provinces (or municipalities) of China. We investigated the change of interest in medical study due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the potential motivational factors based on the expectancy-value theory framework. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation of static or dynamic interest in medical career pursuit with the reported number of COVID-19 cases. Logistic regression model was adopted to analyze the main factors associated with students' choices.ResultsWe observed an increased preference for medical study post the outbreak of COVID-19 in both students (17.5 to 29.6%) and parents (37.1 to 47.3%). Attainment value was found to be the main reason for the choice among students, with the contribution to society rated as the top motivation. On the other hand, the predominant demotivation in high school students was lack of interest, followed by concerns regarding violence against doctors, heavy workload, long-term training and heavy responsibility as a doctor. Additionally, students who were female, in the resit of final year, had highly educated parents and outside of Hubei province were significantly associated with a keen interest in pursuing medical study.ConclusionsThis is the first multi-center cross-sectional study exploring the positive change and motivations of students' preferences in medical study due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Our results may help medical educators, researchers and policymakers to restructure medical education to make it more appealing to high school students, particularly, to develop a more supportive social and working environment for medical professionals to maintain the observed enhanced enthusiasm.

Project description:BackgroundThough the proportion of women in medical schools has increased, gender disparities among those who pursue research careers still exists. In this study, we seek to better understand the main factors contributing to the existing gender disparities among medical students choosing to pursue careers in medical research.MethodsA secondary cross-sectional cohort analysis of previously published data was conducted using a 70-item survey that was sent to 16,418 medical students at 32 academic medical centers, and was IRB exempt from the need for ethical approval at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania. Data was collected from September 2012 to December 2014. Survey results were analyzed using chi-square tests and Cramer's V to determine gender differences in demographic characteristics (training stage, race/ethnicity, marital status, parental status, financial support, and parental career background), career sector choice, career content choice, specialty choice, foreseeable career obstacles, and perceptions about medical research careers.ResultsFemale respondents were more likely to be enrolled in MD-only programs, while male respondents were more likely to be enrolled in MD/PhD programs. More male students selected academia as their first-choice career sector, while more female respondents selected hospitalist as their first-choice career sector. More female respondents identified patient care and opportunities for community service as their top career selection factors, while more male respondents identified research and teaching as their top career selection factors. Student loan burden, future compensation, and work/life balance were the most reported obstacles to pursuing a career in medical research.ConclusionsThere are many factors from a medical student's perspective that may contribute to the existing gender disparities in pursuing a career in medical research. While much progress has been made in attracting nearly equal numbers of men and women to the field of medicine, active efforts to bridge the gap between men and women in medical research careers are needed.

Project description:ObjectivesPrimary healthcare internationally is facing a workforce crisis with fewer junior doctors choosing general practice (GP) as a career. In the UK, a national report on GP careers highlighted adverse influences during medical school on students' career choices. The authors explored these influences in two urban UK medical schools, both with relatively low numbers of students entering GP training.DesignUsing a phenomenological approach, the authors thematically analysed the reflective diaries of four medical students who were recruited as 'participant researchers' over a period of 10 months. These students made regular reflexive notes about their experiences related to GP career perceptions in their academic and personal environments, aiming to capture both positive and negative perceptions of GP careers. The research team discussed emerging data and iteratively explored and developed themes.SettingTwo UK medical schools PARTICIPANTS: Undergraduate medical students RESULTS: Seven key themes were identified: the lack of visibility and physicality of GP work, the lack of aspirational GP role models, students' perceptions of a GP career as default, the performativity of student career choice with the perceptions of success linked to specialism, societal perceptions of GP careers, gender stereotyping of career choices and the student perception of life as a GP.ConclusionsStudents overwhelmingly reflected on negative cues to GP careers, particularly through their experience of the hidden curriculum. Three recommendations are made: the need for increased representation of GP role models in clinical curricula content delivery and senior leadership; ensuring GP clerkships involve an active and authentic student role with patients, enabling students to experience GP's 'work' including managing complexity, uncertainty and risk. Finally, institutions need to consider students' experiences of the hidden curriculum and the effect this can have on students' perception of careers, alongside the challenges of rankings and perceived hierarchical positioning of disciplines.

Dataset Information

What is different about medical students interested in non-clinical careers?

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

What is different about medical students interested in non-clinical careers?

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