The controllable lifestyle factor and students' attitudes about specialty selection

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Medical school curricula and specialty choices are influenced by various factors.
• Understanding these influences is crucial for medical education and workforce planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the key factors influencing medical students' specialty choices.
• To investigate the relationship between these factors and the type of medical specialty selected (controllable lifestyle, non-controllable lifestyle, surgery).

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was administered to 346 fourth-year medical students across nine institutions.
• Factor analysis was used to identify underlying influences on specialty choice.
• Analysis of variance and the Scheffé method were employed for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• Perceived lifestyle was the most significant factor influencing specialty choice, particularly for students selecting controllable lifestyle specialties.
• Students choosing controllable lifestyle specialties prioritized lifestyle factors and cerebral/practice orientation over altruism.
• Students selecting non-controllable lifestyle specialties scored highest on altruism, while surgery and non-controllable lifestyle groups showed similar attitude patterns.

Conclusions:

• Lifestyle considerations significantly impact medical students' specialty selection.
• Attitudes towards lifestyle, practice, and altruism differ markedly between students choosing controllable versus non-controllable lifestyle specialties.
• These findings have implications for understanding physician career paths and addressing specialty shortages.