Specialty choice determinants among Mexican medical students: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background The choice of medical specialty is related to multiple factors, students’ values, and specialty perceptions. Research in this area is needed in low- and middle-income countries, where the alignment of specialty training with national healthcare needs has a complex local interdepe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-019-1830-5 |
| _version_ | 1819229252710563840 |
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| author | Carlos Gutiérrez-Cirlos J. Jesús Naveja Manuel García-Minjares Adrián Martínez-González Melchor Sánchez-Mendiola |
| author_facet | Carlos Gutiérrez-Cirlos J. Jesús Naveja Manuel García-Minjares Adrián Martínez-González Melchor Sánchez-Mendiola |
| author_sort | Carlos Gutiérrez-Cirlos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The choice of medical specialty is related to multiple factors, students’ values, and specialty perceptions. Research in this area is needed in low- and middle-income countries, where the alignment of specialty training with national healthcare needs has a complex local interdependency. The study aimed to identify factors that influence specialty choice among medical students. Methods Senior students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Faculty of Medicine answered a questionnaire covering demographics, personal experiences, vocational features, and other factors related to specialty choice. Chi-square tests and factor analyses were performed. Results The questionnaire was applied to 714 fifth-year students, and 697 provided complete responses (response rate 81%). The instrument Cronbach’s alpha was 0.8. The mean age was 24 ± 1 years; 65% were women. Eighty percent of the students wanted to specialize, and 60% had participated in congresses related to the specialty of interest. Only 5% wanted to remain as general practitioners. The majority (80%) wanted to enter a core specialty: internal medicine (29%), general surgery (24%), pediatrics (11%), gynecology and obstetrics (11%) and family medicine (4%). The relevant variables for specialty choice were grouped in three dimensions: personal values that develop and change during undergraduate training, career needs to be satisfied, and perception of specialty characteristics. Conclusions Specialty choice of medical students in a middle-income country public university is influenced by the undergraduate experience, the desire to study a subspecialty and other factors (including having skills related to the specialty and type of patients). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T11:10:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5086238f6ae7409386109a4dc891c385 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T11:10:13Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-5086238f6ae7409386109a4dc891c3852022-12-21T17:49:22ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202019-11-011911810.1186/s12909-019-1830-5Specialty choice determinants among Mexican medical students: a cross-sectional studyCarlos Gutiérrez-Cirlos0J. Jesús Naveja1Manuel García-Minjares2Adrián Martínez-González3Melchor Sánchez-Mendiola4National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition “Salvador Zubirán”Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)Coordinador de Desarrollo Educativo e Innovación Curricular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoFaculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)Abstract Background The choice of medical specialty is related to multiple factors, students’ values, and specialty perceptions. Research in this area is needed in low- and middle-income countries, where the alignment of specialty training with national healthcare needs has a complex local interdependency. The study aimed to identify factors that influence specialty choice among medical students. Methods Senior students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Faculty of Medicine answered a questionnaire covering demographics, personal experiences, vocational features, and other factors related to specialty choice. Chi-square tests and factor analyses were performed. Results The questionnaire was applied to 714 fifth-year students, and 697 provided complete responses (response rate 81%). The instrument Cronbach’s alpha was 0.8. The mean age was 24 ± 1 years; 65% were women. Eighty percent of the students wanted to specialize, and 60% had participated in congresses related to the specialty of interest. Only 5% wanted to remain as general practitioners. The majority (80%) wanted to enter a core specialty: internal medicine (29%), general surgery (24%), pediatrics (11%), gynecology and obstetrics (11%) and family medicine (4%). The relevant variables for specialty choice were grouped in three dimensions: personal values that develop and change during undergraduate training, career needs to be satisfied, and perception of specialty characteristics. Conclusions Specialty choice of medical students in a middle-income country public university is influenced by the undergraduate experience, the desire to study a subspecialty and other factors (including having skills related to the specialty and type of patients).http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-019-1830-5Residency trainingCareer choiceProfessional identityGraduate studiesMéxico |
| spellingShingle | Carlos Gutiérrez-Cirlos J. Jesús Naveja Manuel García-Minjares Adrián Martínez-González Melchor Sánchez-Mendiola Specialty choice determinants among Mexican medical students: a cross-sectional study BMC Medical Education Residency training Career choice Professional identity Graduate studies México |
| title | Specialty choice determinants among Mexican medical students: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Specialty choice determinants among Mexican medical students: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Specialty choice determinants among Mexican medical students: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Specialty choice determinants among Mexican medical students: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Specialty choice determinants among Mexican medical students: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | specialty choice determinants among mexican medical students a cross sectional study |
| topic | Residency training Career choice Professional identity Graduate studies México |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-019-1830-5 |
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