Related Experiment Videos
Pilot study of current factors influencing the choice of psychiatry as a specialty
E K Lee1, N Kaltreider, J Crouch
1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA.
Objective:
This is a time of major shifts in the perception of medical specialties. The authors have attempted to assess current attitudes of potential applicants for a residency in psychiatry.
Method:
Pilot interviews with fourth-year medical students at the University of California, San Francisco, led to the development of a questionnaire on factors influencing the choice of psychiatry as a specialty. The questionnaire was then sent to 113 fourth-year students with an identified psychiatric interest at nine schools.
Results:
There was a response rate of 50.4%. The 54 students with a clear career decision had 22 of 38 item responses that significantly distinguished between those who matched in psychiatry and those who chose other specialties.
Conclusions:
Focused recruitment strategies are suggested based on answers to the questionnaire items.