Understanding and Improving Medical Student Specialty Choice: A Synthesis of the Literature Using Decision Theory as a Referent

Reed, Virginia A.; Jernstedt, G. Christian; Reber, E S

doi:10.1207/s15328015tlm1302_7

Cited by 79 publications

(87 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…review. A fourth, self-described, review by Reed 12 used an illustrative selection of studies and could therefore not draw conclusions about the comprehensive body of research. In addition, there was one comprehensive look at factors that influence specialty choice.…”

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confidence: 99%

Factors Related to the Choice of Family Medicine: A Reassessment and Literature Review

Senf

Campos‐Outcalt

Kutob

2003

The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine

211

159

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Background: Recent decreases in the number of students entering family medicine has prompted reconsideration of what is known about the factors affecting specialty choice.Methods: Thirty-six articles on family medicine specialty choice published since 1993 were reviewed and rated for quality.Results: Rural background related positively and parents' socioeconomic status relates negatively to choice of family medicine. Career intentions at entry to medical school predict specialty choice. Students who believe primary care is important, have low income expectations, and do not plan a research career are more likely to choose family medicine. The school characteristic related to choice of family medicine is public ownership. Large programs to increase numbers entering primary care seem effective. Required family medicine time in clinical years is related to higher numbers selecting family medicine.

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confidence: 99%

Factors Related to the Choice of Family Medicine: A Reassessment and Literature Review

Senf

Campos‐Outcalt

Kutob

2003

The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine

211

159

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“…In their review of the literature on specialty choice using decision theory as a referent, Reed and her colleagues 33 identified two ways that researchers have explored relationships between determinants of satisfaction and career choice: (a) rating components of medical practice and (b) indicating interest in specialties. Rating components of medical practice involves asking students to rate the importance of various practice components and, at the same time, asking (2,184) 0.036 ‡ * Five-point scale items where scores represent the degree to which students rated the importance of the item in determining her or his satisfaction as a physician, ranging from 1 (not at all important) to 5 (extremely important).…”

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confidence: 99%

A Longitudinal Study of Determinants of Career Satisfaction in Medical Students

Reed

Jernstedt

McCormick

2004

Medical Education Online

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Abstract:Context: There is evidence of significant career dissatisfaction among practicing physicians and those considering medicine as a profession. Most research on career satisfaction has examined practicing physicians. This study was undertaken to look at determinants of satisfaction in those at the earliest stage of their medical careers -medical students. Methods: As part of a larger study, students comprising one class at the University of Washington School of Medicine were surveyed three times over the course of their medical education. For the present study we examined measures specifically related to determinants of career satisfaction. Findings: Over time, students' sense of the importance of most measured determinants of satisfaction showed significant change, the majority of which were in the direction of decreased importance. However, most of the change was relative. That is, factors that students considered to be most important at the start of medical school continued to be most important throughout the educational experience and those factors students considered to be least important at Year 1 continued to be least important at Years 2 and 4. Discussion: These findings have implications for medical education, a time when students are forming expectations that will impact their career satisfaction. In addition to information on career satisfaction, students should understand the professional values of medicine, their own values and expectations, current practice patterns, economics, and the role of advocacy.Key Words: job satisfaction, career choice, medical education In the early 1990s, Schroeder 1 described medicine as a 'troubled profession,' citing a seeming paradox. The past quarter century had seen a virtual explosion of scientific and technological advances leading to improvements in patient care and outcomes. Additionally, an increasing number of women and underrepresented minorities had entered the profession, leading to a more accurate representation of the demographic distribution in the country. Yet at the same time, health care costs had skyrocketed and there was evidence of significant career dissatisfaction among practicing physicians and those considering medicine as a profession.The recent decade has not resolved the paradox. In fact, there is evidence that suggests that, at least in some states, physicians may be becoming less satisfied over time. 2 The number of students applying to medical school may just now be starting to reverse a six-year decline, during which applications dropped by nearly 30%.3 While there are undoubtedly multiple factors associated with this trend, there has been speculation that increasing media coverage of physician career dissatisfaction has been a likely influence. 4 Physician career satisfaction is a concern for a number of reasons in addition to its impact on those considering medicine as a profession. Physician satisfaction is associated with patient satisfaction, 5 and it has been linked to good patient outcomes.6 Conversely, physician dissatisfa...

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“…Les énoncés relatifs au prestige et à l'attirance pour la pratique hospitalière se seraient sans doute distribués différemment si nous avions obtenu davantage d'étudiants intéressés par les spécialités car nous savons que ces facteurs sont associés plus fréquemment à ce choix de carrière [6][7][8][9][10] . À ce sujet, il convient de mentionner que dans l'étude de Wright, le facteur « prestige » s'était avéré être le seul, parmi les cinq dégagés, à ne pas affecter significativement la préférence (les auteurs questionnaient les étudiants à leur entrée dans le programme de médecine) pour une carrière en médecine familiale.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

“…La compré-hension des caractéristiques qui influencent ce choix suscite un grand intérêt et la recherche a produit sur le sujet des résultats parfois non concluants, voire contradictoires. Les chercheurs s'entendent toutefois généralement pour classer ces facteurs selon trois grandes catégories : les caractéristiques sociodémographiques des étudiants (âge ; sexe ; région d'origine) ; les caractéristiques des facultés et des programmes de médecine, enfin l'interaction entre les caractéristiques des spécialités et les attitudes et valeurs personnelles des étudiants [6][7][8][9][10] .…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Validité et fidélité de la version française d’un questionnaire portant sur le choix de carrière des étudiants en médecine

et al. 2010

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Résumé -Contexte : La diminution constante, dans tous les pays industrialisés, du nombre d'étudiants en médecine qui optent pour une carrière en médecine générale suscite un intérêt marqué pour la compréhension des facteurs qui influent sur ces choix. Peu d'études s'appuient sur des instruments validés. La disponibilité de tels instruments en français est inexistante. But : Évaluer la fidélité d'une traduction française du questionnaire validé de Wright et al., conçu pour mesurer les facteurs associés aux choix de carrière des étudiants en médecine. Sujets/matériel/méthodes : Après une étape de traduction/retraduction, cent soixante-neuf étudiants terminant leur premier cycle d'études dans les quatre facultés de médecine de la province de Québec ont complété une version Web du questionnaire français. Des analyses factorielles de même que des analyses de régression logistique ont été employées pour éva-luer la validité conceptuelle et prédictive de la version française produite. Résultats : La résolution factorielle obtenue lors de l'analyse exploratoire différait légèrement de celle des auteurs de la version originale du questionnaire quant au nombre de facteurs et leur composition. Les différences observées peuvent être imputées à la surreprésentation d'étudiants ayant opté pour la médecine familiale dans notre échantillon. La résolution factorielle exploratoire et celle obtenue en contraignant la résolution factorielle de la version originale expliquent une proportion identique de la variance du choix de carrière de nos participants, soit 50 %. Conclusion : Notre traduction française du questionnaire de Wright est aussi valide et fiable que la version originale et peut être utilisée dans le cadre d'études visant des étudiants francophones.Article publié par EDP Sciences Keywords:Medical students; career choice; family medicine; general medicine; questionnaire validation Abstract -Context: The steady decline in the number of medical students choosing a career in general medicine has been observed in all industrialized countries. There is significant interest in understanding the factors that influence these choices. Few studies are based on validated instruments and no such instrument is available in French. Objective: To evaluate the reliability of the French version of a validated questionnaire designed to assess the factors associated with medical students' career choices. Participants/material/methods: Following the translation and retranslation of Wright et al.'s questionnaire, one hundred and sixty-nine medical students completing their undergraduate medical program in the four Quebec faculties of medicine completed a Web-based French version of the questionnaire. Factor analyses and logistic regressions were used to assess construct and predictive validity of the French version. Results: The exploratory factor analysis produced a factor solution slightly different from that of the authors of the original questionnaire in terms of number of factors and factor structure. These differences can be attribute...

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Understanding and Improving Medical Student Specialty Choice: A Synthesis of the Literature Using Decision Theory as a Referent

Abstract: This approach has the potential to not only help deconstruct the process of decision making regarding specialty choice but also uncover information about the best ways to help medical students learn to make wise decisions.

Cited by 79 publications

References 45 publications

Factors Related to the Choice of Family Medicine: A Reassessment and Literature Review

Factors Related to the Choice of Family Medicine: A Reassessment and Literature Review

A Longitudinal Study of Determinants of Career Satisfaction in Medical Students

Validité et fidélité de la version française d’un questionnaire portant sur le choix de carrière des étudiants en médecine

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