[Career in medicine and elective internship: a cohort study]

A study of career choice was undertaken with students of the new curriculum of the University of Brasilia Medical program that graduated from 1994 to 1997. The purpose was to assess the impact of selective training during the internship on the choice of medical residency and the relationships with some selected personal and academic factors. Data from 196 participants were obtained at the beginning of the medical program, after registration for the elective, and after the medical residency examination. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were applied to the data. Results showed that about 74% of the choices for medical residency favor four specialties: internal medicine, general surgery, pediatrics and obstetrics-gynecology and define a demand profile compatible with the offer profile. Regression analysis with three predictor variables revealed that selective training was the strongest influence in each case. The other variables showed independent but weaker association: sex (general surgery and internal medicine) and initial preference (general surgery and pediatrics). Another analysis verified that initial preference was the main influence in the choice of selective training. Three other factors (learning style, self-confidence as a learner, and grade point average) showed weak association with some areas of selective training or specialty choice. In conclusion, the study confirmed the hypothesis of the prediction power of the selective training on career choice and revealed other distinct influences.