Factors affecting medical students in formulating their career and specialty preferences from northern India
Journal Title: Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences - Year 2016, Vol 4, Issue 11
Abstract
Abstract: What drives a student to prefer a particular specialty over other can also provide an insight into what may be required or needed to deal the existing situation about manpower availability in various specialties? This study was planned with an objective to study factors affecting medical students in formulating their career and specialty preferences.The present cross-sectional study was executed by the Department of Forensic Medicine of a tertiary care teaching institution. In this study, all the medical undergraduate students currently studying in the medical college were included. A self-administered semi-structured questionnaire served as study tool. Students were contacted at the end of theory and practical classes. The questionnaire consisted of 35 items and contained following sections: sociodemographic variables, choice of specialty, reasons for preference and apprehensions in their mind if any.Overall, the most preferred specialties were Orthopaedics (116), surgery (97) followed by internal medicine (77). The least preferred choices were anatomy, physiology (2 each), biochemistry (4), forensic medicine and microbiology (7 each). Three top factors that influenced the student’s decisions to opt for a particular specialty included High income potential (average Likert scale 4.6), Employment scope in the future (4.5), Focus on community service to serve the sick and society (3.9). No fear was expressed by 62 (32.6%) of the students, whereas, 68 (35.8%) feared ragging. Fifty students (26.3%) were apprehensive about the long period of study course. Some specialties such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, forensic medicine and microbiology are not favoured and there is a need to improve student’s interest in these areas. There is a need to provide some sort of an orientation and counselling at the time of entry into medical college. Keywords:Factors, Medical Students, India, Career, Specialty, Preferences
Authors and Affiliations
Inderjit Singh Bagga, Abhishek Singh, Hitesh Chawla, Shewtank Goel, Pooja Goyal, Arka Mondal
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP371298
- DOI -
- Views 38
- Downloads 0
Study of Correlation between Stress Marker Enzymes and Other Biochemical Parameters in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Oxidative stress and lipid accumulation are major contributors in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The purpose of this study was to find the relation between oxidative stress parameters and...
Serum enzyme levels as biomarkers in malaria
Malaria is one of the most serious diseases especially of the tropical world. Pathophysiological process involves both centrilobular liver damage and red blood cells destruction. As a result, enzymes present in these cel...
Association of Cystatin C Levels with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome
Abstract: Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) is a major health burden worldwide and causes more deaths and disability and incurs greater economic costs than any other illness in the world. Cystatin C is a naturally occurring...
A Literature Review On Knowledge, Awareness and Attitude Related To First Aid Among University Students
Having knowledge and awareness related to first aid in each individual person is important in terms of helping people in emergency situation since injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwi...
Analysis of risk factors and outcome in the management of Enterocutaneous Fistulae
Abstract: Enterocutaneous fistulas remain one of the most serious complications of abdominal surgery as they comprise a diverse array of intestinal pathology and presents with a variety of clinical presentation. Despite...