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August 2021; 11 (4) Research

Longitudinal Qualitative Study of Career Decision-making of First-Year Medical Students

Why Neurology (or Not)?

View ORCID ProfileRachel Gottlieb-Smith, Douglas J. Gelb, Benjamin Becker, Braydon Dymm, Olivia Gutgsell, Namrata Patel, Dorene F. Balmer
First published March 12, 2021, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/CPJ.0000000000001071
Rachel Gottlieb-Smith
Department of Pediatrics (RG-S, NP), and Department of Neurology, University of Michigan (DJG, BB, BD, OG), Ann Arbor; and Department of Pediatrics (DFB), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
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  • ORCID record for Rachel Gottlieb-Smith
Douglas J. Gelb
Department of Pediatrics (RG-S, NP), and Department of Neurology, University of Michigan (DJG, BB, BD, OG), Ann Arbor; and Department of Pediatrics (DFB), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
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Benjamin Becker
Department of Pediatrics (RG-S, NP), and Department of Neurology, University of Michigan (DJG, BB, BD, OG), Ann Arbor; and Department of Pediatrics (DFB), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
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Braydon Dymm
Department of Pediatrics (RG-S, NP), and Department of Neurology, University of Michigan (DJG, BB, BD, OG), Ann Arbor; and Department of Pediatrics (DFB), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
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Olivia Gutgsell
Department of Pediatrics (RG-S, NP), and Department of Neurology, University of Michigan (DJG, BB, BD, OG), Ann Arbor; and Department of Pediatrics (DFB), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
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Namrata Patel
Department of Pediatrics (RG-S, NP), and Department of Neurology, University of Michigan (DJG, BB, BD, OG), Ann Arbor; and Department of Pediatrics (DFB), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
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Dorene F. Balmer
Department of Pediatrics (RG-S, NP), and Department of Neurology, University of Michigan (DJG, BB, BD, OG), Ann Arbor; and Department of Pediatrics (DFB), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
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Citation
Longitudinal Qualitative Study of Career Decision-making of First-Year Medical Students
Why Neurology (or Not)?
Rachel Gottlieb-Smith, Douglas J. Gelb, Benjamin Becker, Braydon Dymm, Olivia Gutgsell, Namrata Patel, Dorene F. Balmer
Neurol Clin Pract Aug 2021, 11 (4) e387-e396; DOI: 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000001071

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Abstract

Objective The growing shortage of neurologists is in part due to suboptimal recruitment. Little is known about students' decision making regarding a career in neurology, particularly early in training. Using a longitudinal qualitative approach, we aimed to understand factors that influence first-year medical students' decisions about neurology.

Methods We conducted 1-on-1 semistructured interviews with 15 first-year medical students at 1 institution before and after the preclinical neurology course (2018–2019). In the first interview, we asked about career intentions, factors likely to influence specialty choice, and perceptions of neurology. In the second interview, we asked about changes in students' views over the year. Using thematic analysis, we generated codes and clustered coded data into themes.

Results The 2 most prominent factors influencing career choice in general were lifestyle and personal interest. No students expressed concerns about lifestyle in neurology. Most students were neutral about neurology or had a positive personal interest, which typically increased after the neurology course. Students frequently worried about content difficulty and the curative potential of neurology.

Conclusions Interventions should include early education about the factors important to students in determining specialty choice, including lifestyle, and address potentially negative perceptions of neurology. Increasing time allotment to the preclinical neurology course may combat perception of the content as difficult.

Footnotes

  • Funding information and disclosures are provided at the end of the article. Full disclosure form information provided by the authors is available with the full text of this article at Neurology.org/cp.

  • Received October 21, 2020.
  • Accepted January 19, 2021.
  • © 2021 American Academy of Neurology
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