Percentage of respondents indicating each factor as an influence in their career choice
| FACTORS | MEDICAL STUDENTS CHOOSING MEDICINE AS A CAREER (NPS 2007), % | FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENTS CHOOSING FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY (NPS 2007), % | OTHER SPECIALTY MEDICINE RESIDENTS CHOOSING THEIR RESIDENCIES (NPS 2007), % | PRACTISING FAMILY PHYSICIANS CHOOSING FAMILY MEDICINE (NPS 2004), % | OTHER PRACTISING SPECIALISTS CHOOSING THEIR SPECIALTIES (NPS 2004), % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intellectual stimulation and challenge | 93 | 65 | 88 | 74 | 84 |
| Doctor-patient relationship | 83 | 85 | 54 | 71 | 56 |
| Workload flexibility or predictability | NA | 79 | 50 | 45 | 38 |
| Influence of a mentor | 19 | 26 | 44 | 20 | 42 |
| Influence of family | 24 | 17 | 8 | 23 | 17 |
| Prestige | 26 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 13 |
| Earning potential | 42 | 8 | 28 | 29 | 23 |
| Research opportunities | 21 | 2 | 28 | 5 | 17 |
| Teaching opportunities | 40 | 23 | 37 | 14 | 26 |
| Ability to pursue non–work-related interests | NA | 55 | 28 | 21 | 16 |
| Availability of training opportunities | NA | 27 | 18 | 10 | 14 |
NA—not asked, NPS—National Physician Survey.