Why students choose a primary care or nonprimary care career

https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(94)90320-4Get rights and content

Abstract

purpose: To analyze the factors influencing students to choose residency training in primary care (internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics) or nonprimary care specialties and study the combined effect of reported responses on their choice.

materials and methods: A 12-item questionnaire using a 7-point Likert scale was mailed to the 1,164 graduating seniors from 9 medical schools in 1991. Responses ranged from 1, very negative influence, to 7, very positive influence. Four indicated no influence. The overall response rate was 69%.

Univariate analysis of factors associated with specialty choice was done with the Mantel-Haenzsel chi-square test. Odds ratios were calculated for each significant variable without controlling for other variables. Factors found to have univariate significance were then tested for combined significance with logistic regression analysis. The regression was performed on a randomly chosen training sample, and validated on a test sample.

results: Forty-five percent of respondents chose an internship and planned residency training in a primary care specialty. Factors that remained positively associated with choosing a primary care specialty when controlling for other factors were desire to provide comprehensive care, to keep options open, and to undertake ambulatory care. Desire for monetary reward was negatively associated with choice of a primary care specialty.

conclusions: Positive educational experiences in the ambulatory setting should be enhanced, and disparity in remuneration among disciplines reduced.

References (18)

  • AH Herold et al.

    Influence of longitudinal primary care training on medical students' specialty choices

    Acad Med

    (1993)
  • PB Zeldow et al.

    The decision to enter a medical specialty: timing and stability

    Med Educ

    (1992)
  • LQ Rogers et al.

    A survey to determine factors influencing medical students' career choices

    Acad Med

    (1989)
  • LQ Rogers et al.

    Factors influencing medical students to choose primary care or non-primary care specialties

    Acad Med

    (1990)
  • RME Fincher et al.

    Classification model that predicts medical students' choices of primary care or non-primary care specialties

    Acad Med

    (1992)
  • WJ Kassler et al.

    Why medical students choose primary care careers

    Acad Med

    (1991)
  • TA Lieu et al.

    Specialty choices at one medical school: recent trends and analysis of predictive factors

    Acad Med

    (1989)
  • EHS Osborn

    Factors influencing students' choices of primary care or other specialties

    Acad Med

    (1993)
  • M Schwartz et al.

    Medical student interest in internal medicine

    Ann Intern Med

    (1991)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (29)

View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text