Career preference enquiry among Queen's University medical undergraduates and graduates: a follow-up

Questionnaires were distributed in 1979 to fourth-and final-year students and to doctors who graduated in 1977 in the second leg of a longitudinal career preference enquiry at Queen's University medical school. Replies were obtained from 98.5 and 92.3% respectively of the undergraduates and from 74.1% of the graduates. While approximately half fourth-and final-year were consistent with their first preference made two years previously for broad fields of practice, less than a quarter of fourth-and a third of final-year were consistent in their preference of specialty. The proportion of Ulster-born students intending to remain rose by 20%. All 103 graduate respondents were working except two. Almost half either did not intend to continue in their present discipline or were undecided. Forty-five per cent were practising the specialty they had elected as final year students indicating that stability of career choice was greater between final year and SHO grading than between fourth and final year. More respondents in anaesthetics and surgery than in any other specialty were consistent in their choice. Eighty-eight per cent of the Ulster-born respondents were resident here at the time of completing the questionnaire. Sixty per cent intended to practise here ultimately, an increase of 15% on 1977.