Factors affecting choice of specialty among first-year medical students of four universities in different regions of Turkey

• Published in: Croatian medical journal Vol. 49; no. 3; pp. 415 - 420
• Main Authors: Dikici, Mustafa Fevzi, Yaris, Fusun, Topsever, Pinar, Tuncay Muge, Filiz, Gurel, Fazil Serdar, Cubukcu, Mahcube, Gorpelioglu, Suleyman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Croatia Sveuciliste U Zagrebu 01-06-2008; Croatian Medical Schools
• Subjects: Beliefs, opinions and attitudes; Career development; Choice Behavior; Degrees, Academic; Education, Medical, Undergraduate; Evaluation; Female; Humans; Male; Medical students; Specialization; Student CMJ; Students, Medical; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Turkey; Universities; Turkey
• ISSN: 0353-9504; 1332-8166
• DOI: 10.3325/cmj.2008.3.415

To determine the factors affecting medical students' choice of the specialty of family medicine.
The study was conducted in the period from 2004-2006 and comprised 770 first-year medical students from Ondokuz Mayis, Karadeniz Technical, Kocaeli, and Adnan Menderes Universities, Turkey. The questionnaire included questions on demographic data and 6 "yes/no" or open-ended questions on students' career aspirations and the specialty of family medicine.
The response rate was 93.1% (n=717, 54.7% male). Nearly all students (n=714, 99.6%) showed an intention to specialize after receiving the medical doctor degree. A total of 187 students (26.2%) showed an intention to work in primary care without specialization "for a temporary period" to "gain some experience." Family medicine was the least preferred specialty (n=7, 0.9%). The most important reasons for the choice of specialty were "better financial opportunities" and "prestige" (n=219, 30.5%), followed by "personal development" (n=149, 20.8%), "more benefits for the patient" (n=128, 17.9%), and "wish to work in an urban area" (n=32, 4.5%). The most preferred specialties were cardiology (n=179, 25.0%), pediatrics (n=121, 16.9%), ophthalmology (n=47, 6.6%), physical therapy and rehabilitation (n=34, 4.7%), and obstetrics and gynecology (n=32, 4.5%).
Prestige, money, and personal development are important factors in career decision-making among medical students in Turkey. This should be taken into consideration when conducting reforms at the primary level.