[Medical students' attitudes regarding professional practice]

Although the choice to study medicine implies some knowledge of the current working situation of practitioners, medical students' expectations regarding their future professional practice have been rarely investigated in Argentina. The aim of this work was to collect data about the expectations of senior medical students regarding their future professional practice. One hundred and twenty-five senior medical students were surveyed between September and December 2008. By using an anonymous survey, information regarding the expectations about their future professional practice was collected. The survey was answered by 82.4% (103/125) of the students and 98.0% (101/103) expressed their desire to enter a residence programme. Regarding specialty, pediatrics and psychiatry were the most chosen by women (27% vs. 8%, p=0.029 and 27% vs. 3%, p=0.004), and orthopedic surgery was the predominant choice in men (18% vs. 2%, p=0.019). Median of expected income at 5 years post graduation was $ 4.000 (minimum: $1,500, maximum: $10.000), at 10 years $7.000 (minimum: $3.000, maximum: $ 20.000) and at 20 years $10.000 (minimum: $3.000, maximum: $30,000), according to money value adjusted to December 2008 ($3.0 = US$ 1.0). In conclusion, chosen specialties seem to be dependent on the increasing number of female students, the expected income would exceed the current remuneration of physicians. Noteworthy finding out the students' willingness to be involved in teaching and the less interest in research.