Understanding Push-pull Factors Affecting Medical Careers Decision in Fifth Year Medical Students from Hong Kong and Scotland

Abstract

Intellectual satisfaction, perceived aptitude and skills, and work life balance are factors that have been identified to influence medical career choices in Western countries. We conducted a cross sectional questionnaire survey for 5th year medical students attending a pre-internship lecture in May 2015 to find out their medical career preferences and factors that affects these decisions. Overall, 62.7% (74/118) of students completed the questionnaires. Eighty-nine point two percent (89.2%) of students planned to undergo specialty training. Surgical specialties (including orthopaedics) and medicine were the two most popular medical specialties. Most students (50%) thought perceived aptitude and skills were extremely important, which was followed next by intellectual satisfaction (39.2%). Medicine and surgical specialties are the most popular medical specialties. This is similar to a local study 20 years ago. Similar to studies in the United Kingdom, perceived aptitude and skills are the most important factors influencing medical career choices in this students participating in this survey.

The results of this study were presented at the 9th Asian Medical Education Association Symposium cum Frontiers in Medical and Health Sciences Education 2017 in the Free Paper Presentations (Poster Presentation) section.

Deliverables