How Influences on Residency Choice Change Through Medical School

Abstract

Purpose: To attract medical students (MS) to primary care, administrators must understand what impacts students to select a certain area of medicine. This study elucidates these influences and how they change throughout four years. Methods:A survey was administered to first-year (Group-I) and fourth-year (Group-II) MS at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYIT-COM). Questions sought to understand what factors influence student's residency choice.Results: There were 258 respondents, 184 responses (71.0%) were from Group-I and 75 (29.0%) were from Group-II. Academic performance and board scores had a greater impact on career choice for Group-I (83.2%) than Group-II (13.3%). Perceived status among colleagues had a greater negative influence on Group-II (13.7 %) than Group-I (2.90 %). Opportunity to care for patients and their families had an increased negative influence on Group-II (11.1%) than Group-I (0.6 %). Conclusions:Upon entering medical school, academic performance had a greater influence on residency choice than it did 4th year after exams were completed. Compared to 1st year MS, the ability to care for patients and families, with perceived status among colleagues is a deterring factor to 4th year MS choice of residency.