The choice of anesthesia as a career by undergraduates in a Saudi university

In order to find out the career preferences of Saudi medical undergraduates as they relate to anesthesiology, questionnaires were distributed and received from 40 pre-clinical students and 26 clinical students immediately after their two-week anesthesia posting. Almost half of the preclinical students made their final choice. None of the students in this group made anesthesiology a first choice, though about 67.5% had heard about anesthesia. Among the students in the clinical group, medicine, surgery and general practice were the most common choices. Only one indicated anesthesiology a first choice. Most of the clinical students indicated that their I.C.U. rotation was the most enjoyable part of their anesthesia posting. The student's suggestions for improvement in their posting included a longer period than the present 2 weeks and more opportunity to acquire the required clinical skills. The authors advise a positive drive to Saudi medical undergraduates to take up the specialty of anesthesiology as a career in order to correct the present shortage.