Factors influencing medical students career intentions in Flanders, Estonia, and Hungary: a multivariable analysis

The career decisions of medical students are pivotal in shaping the future healthcare workforce. In many countries, the number of medical students who choose general practice as their career is insufficient to meet the needs of the healthcare system.

To describe the factors influencing medical students' career intentions and their preference for a career in general practice.

A cross-sectional study involving medical students from Flanders (Belgium), Estonia, and Hungary.

An online questionnaire, which was sent to undergraduate medical students, was used to gather data. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted.

Altogether 1601 medical students participated in this study, which found that 18.5% of the participants were interested in general practice. Factors related to medical students and the curriculum that predicted the interest in general practice were being a woman, being a medical student from Flanders, being a sixth-year medical student, coming from a rural area, and having GP role models. Students preferring general practice named the following factors as important: short and low-intensity training programme; having long-term and close relationship with patients; continuity of care; regular and flexible working hours; and opportunities to achieve work-life balance.

This study adds further evidence of which characteristics and factors can predict medical students' interest in general practice; having GP role models being the most important predictor. Further research into which qualities medical students value in their role models could give us better understanding on how we can support GPs to be better advocates for their specialty and thereby help increase interest in general practice.