Attitudes of medical students toward pediatric neurology

Planning strategies to encourage students to pursue a career in pediatric neurology requires assessment of their attitudes and career choices. A structured 30-item questionnaire was designed to examine students' attitudes toward pediatric neurology. In the study, 161 final-year medical students (1999-2000), 20-26 years of age (mean, 23 years of age) were included prospectively. Although most students had been taught by a pediatric neurologist and considered neurologic disorders interesting, 77%-100% had unfavorable attitudes. Although 79% considered pediatric neurology as a future career option, only nine students (6%) selected it as their first choice. Our findings highlight some aspects that might be targeted to promote students' interest in pediatric neurology and improve their learning experiences.