Family practice specialty preference before and after a required clerkship

Medical students' specialty preferences before and after participation in a required third-year family practice (FP) clerkship were compared to National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) results. Of 714 students studied, 18 (2.5%) changed their specialty preference away from FP during the clerkship and 66 (9%) changed their preference to FP. Sixty-nine (70%) of students who maintained a preference for FP pre- and post-clerkship matched in FP. Seventy-two students changed their specialty preference to FP and 19 changed their preference from FP during the clerkship; 32% of each of these groups matched in FP. Those with both pre- and post-clerkship preferences for other specialties matched in FP at a rate of only 4% but constituted 18% of everyone entering the specialty.