RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Longitudinal Qualitative Study of Career Decision-making of First-Year Medical Students
JF Neurology: Clinical Practice
FD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
SP e387
OP e396
DO 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000001071
VO 11
IS 4
A1 Gottlieb-Smith, Rachel
A1 Gelb, Douglas J.
A1 Becker, Benjamin
A1 Dymm, Braydon
A1 Gutgsell, Olivia
A1 Patel, Namrata
A1 Balmer, Dorene F.
YR 2021
UL http://cp.neurology.org/content/11/4/e387.abstract
AB 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.