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RESEARCH IN CHOICE OF MEDICAL SPECIALITY: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 1977–87
Author(s) -
MOWBRAY R. M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1989.tb00286.x
Subject(s) - specialty , consistency (knowledge bases) , medicine , selection (genetic algorithm) , personality , theme (computing) , curriculum , multivariate analysis , medical education , field (mathematics) , family medicine , multiple choice , medical literature , social psychology , psychology , pathology , pedagogy , significant difference , mathematics , artificial intelligence , pure mathematics , computer science , operating system , geometry
Studies of the factors which influence the selection of a specialty in medicine represent a major theme in research in medical education. The journal literature in this area is reviewed for the last ten years under the headings of: Reasons for choice of specialty Timing and consistency of choice Expectations of financial success Attitudes and choice of specialty Predictive methods Effect of the curriculum Academic performance Psychiatry as a career choice General differences Personality factors It is concluded that there are a number of inadequacies in the investigations reported in this field. The research is not based on any theoretical model, focuses on only one or a few of the many possible factors and uses different study populations. Greater consistency and applicability of the findings could be achieved by a central organisation conducting appropriately designed multivariate studies using defined populations at a large number of centres.