[Choosing a medical specialty--not a decision to leave to aptitude tests]

Choosing a medical specialty is partly dependent on personality traits, but also on previous clinical experience. As of 2008, restructuring of the Danish postgraduate medical training programme, allows less time for gaining clinical experience prior to entering specialist training. Aptitude testing may thus become increasingly important in determining suitability for a medical specialty.

Six residents from departments of cardiology were recruited for this study. Inclusion criterion was either a training position in cardiology or an intention to specialize in cardiology. Each participant completed three medical aptitude tests. Results, i.e. specialty suggestions, were compared to the participants' primary and secondary specialty preferences.

There was only one instance of agreement between participant specialty choice (cardiology) and top-three specialty suggestions from the three medical aptitude tests. Participants expressed surprise regarding one of the aptitude tests (SpecialeGuiden) since results seemed contradictory to the participants' wishes to train in an acute medical specialty.

Specialty suggestions from the three medical aptitude tests exhibit limited agreement between tests and the participants' specialty considerations. At present, it does not seem realistic to rely on aptitude tests for specialty guiding. Medical students and medical residents should rather be ensured a postgraduate medical training programme that allows obtaining clinical experience prior to choosing a medical specialty.